Legend of Zelda: The Catalyst War
by HyruleKing
Summary: As a war rages between humans and the supernatural beings of Hyrule, the Mushroom Kingdom and the other Nintendo worlds, the King of Hyrule tells of the circumstances that led the President of the United States to lead an assault on Hyrule Castle Town, the Sages, and the Royal Family.
1. Act I

**Phantoms of a Wish: Catalyst War**

" **A New Enemy"  
** **Castle Town, Hyrule – 2024**

Groups of soldiers stormed the cobblestone streets of a large city. On the north end of the city was a glistening white castle. The soldiers wore grey camouflage and their sleeves were marked with the U.S. flag. Scattered throughout the city, engaged with the U.S. soldiers, were soldiers in beige uniforms, black vests and helmets. On their sleeves were patches bearing a picture of a red bird-like symbol. Above that were three golden triangles standing point-to-point to form a larger triangle: A symbol known as the Triforce. Atop the roofs of the buildings throughout the city were more soldiers in beige, laying prone and armed with sniper rifles. Fires rampaged across the city and only the soldiers could be seen scattered throughout the city.

"Echo Leader to Alpha Leader, status on the principals?" One of the soldiers atop the roof questioned into a mic, his rifle trained on an enemy squad leader.

" _Principals are secure in the throne room."_ A voice responded from the other end. _"Status on the forces?"_

"We've got Frost Corporation mercenaries to the east, U.S. Army to the west and U.S. Marines to the south." Echo Leader stated, firing his rifle and taking down a squad leader. "Bravo, Charlie and Delta teams are fighting in the streets. Echo Team is on the roofs of the square providing sniper support. We'll hold them off as long as we can, but be prepared to evac the principals to Fire Base Loftwing."

In the north of the city, in the castle's throne room, a team of soldiers were guarding a group of seven individuals. Each individual's hand glowed with a different colored aura. The first was a light-skinned Black man with brown eyes and short curly hair. His hands gave off a brown aura and he wore a black t-shirt and jeans.

Next to him was a woman with lightly tanned skin, shoulder-length reddish-brown hair, hazel eyes and hands that glowed light green, dressed in a black tank top and skinny jeans.

Next to her was a brown-eyed, fair-skinned woman with pixie cut brown hair and a red aura. She wore a red tank top and gray slacks. Standing close to her was another fair-skinned woman with blue eyes, purple-framed glasses, blonde hair that was tied into a shoulder-length ponytail and wearing a light blue button-up blouse and black yoga pants. Her hands gave off a blue glow and she bore a noticeable resemblance to the woman with the pixie cut.

The fifth was a woman with a slight tan, green eyes, and curly blonde hair that cascaded halfway down her back. Her hands glowed orange and she wore a white tank top and slacks.

Behind the first five stood the final two. A fair-skinned man and woman. The woman was the youngest of the seven; She had green eyes and blonde hair tied into a ponytail that fell halfway down her back, as well as bangs that fell in a crescent shape. She wore an elegant lavender dress and her hands gave off a golden glow. In contrast, the man was the oldest of the group. He had crew cut brown hair, silver-blue eyes and wore red framed glasses. He wore a simple black muscle shirt and jeans, and at his waist was a handgun. Unlike the others, his aura radiated beyond his hands, cloaking his entire body in a shroud of shadows.

* * *

" _That man… is me. The name's CJ. I'm the King of Hyrule. The woman next to me? My wife Shaylene. The Queen. And the other five are Alex, Aubrey, Janelle, Stacey and Jennette: our friends. The seven of us are the Sages of Hyrule. We are the latest in a long line of sworn protectors of this kingdom. And right now, that's exactly what we're doing._

 _I suppose I should go back to the beginning. Back to where it all began…_

 _It was November 8, 2016. The day everything started going to shit. I guess that's not entirely true. Things had already gone to shit prior to that. But that's not the story I'm telling. I'm talking about our fight to save our kingdom, our world and all those like us… All those with superhuman abilities. Catalysts._

 _November 8 was the day everything was set into motion. That was the day when our old home, the United States of America, made a big mistake…"_

* * *

 **November 8, 2016 – 21:47  
** **Michigan, U.S.A.**

A large group of people were standing in a large room. Scattered among them were reporters and cameramen.

"Good evening, America. Votes are still coming in from across the country."

"We're live from Hudson Campaign Headquarters in Michigan, where we're waiting for a statement from Senator Hudson himself."

"Various sources have already begun projecting Nicholas Frost as the winner and 45th President of the United States."

* * *

" _Nicholas Frost was the owner of a multi-national private military company. He started small as a security firm in his home state of New York, providing security for schools, private companies and a few small government buildings. Business boomed after the September 11 attacks and he took his company across the country. Security for universities, concerts and sports events. Before long, he expanded again, turning what started as a small security firm into a gigantic military contractor._

 _He had been preaching about security throughout the United States for years, trying to snake his way into the government. He didn't hesitate to use any terror attack to boost his message. By Harrison McCormick's re-election in 2012, Frost had started branching globally, doing military work for several countries. When he started campaigning, he continued on his platform of 'Security for America', but he began targeting a new threat: Catalysts. He spoke of the Atlas Defense Agency, a corrupt task force that tried to paint myself and my friends as bio-terrorists guilty of releasing a chemical agent in the air that mutated people into Catalysts. But he spoke of the ADA as if they were a paragon of protection._

 _Despite condemning the assassination of President McCormick by the ADA, which he blamed on Catalysts, he used much of his campaign vowing to turn back what the McCormick Administration had done. Including a late 2016 act by President Caroline Portman, President McCormick's VP, who stepped up following the war against the ADA._

 _He promised to stop illegal immigration, end the illegal drug and weapons trades, protect the 2nd Amendment, defend America from terrorists and fix the broken economy. He swore to be a champion for woman, minorities and the LGBTQ community. He promised better jobs and lower taxes. He cited his company's success, bragging that the Frost Corporation had done more in 2 years in the Middle East than the entire world had done in 15 years. He promised to make America a prosperous superpower._

 _And people ate it up like Halloween candy…"_

* * *

 **November 8, 2016 – 22:05  
** **New York City, U.S.A.**

"Ladies and gentlemen, we've just received word that Senator Hudson is coming out to make a statement." A reporter said, as all the cameras focused on the stage at the front of the room. A gray-haired man in a suit walked out and stood at the podium.

"Thank you to all of you for coming out to support me in this race." The man, Michigan Senator Kevin Hudson said. "It's been a long, tough fight, but I want to officially congratulate Mr. Frost on his victory."

"You're hearing it here first, folks. Senator Hudson had just come out and officially pulled out of the race, making Nicholas Frost the 45th President of the United States."

In New York City, another group of people were gathered in a large conference room in a tall, fancy building. Signs around the room read "Frost 2016: Security for America".

"We're expecting a statement from Mr. Frost any moment now." A reporter said into a camera, as a man with dirty blond hair, wearing a high-end suit, stepped out on the stage along with a security team. "Wait, here he comes now."

"My fellow Americans, thank you." Nicholas Frost said. "We've done it. We've done it. I'd like to thank my campaign crew, my family and most of all, my voters for supporting me in this journey. Thank you for believing in me, thank you for standing by me, and thank you for trusting me. It's an honor to be chosen to lead this great nation. Together, we will rebuild this country. We will rebuild this economy. And most of all… we will protect the American people!" The crowds erupted into cheering.

* * *

" _I had been monitoring the 2016 Presidential Election from Hyrule. Being a former citizen of the U.S., I tried to maintain a good relationship with the U.S. government following the defeat of the ADA. Under the McCormick-Portman administration, that was easy. But watching Nicholas Frost campaign, I was worried. He didn't hide his anti-Catalyst beliefs. And they were apparent in the countries that his company had expanded to. A lot of his military operations involved imprisoning Catalysts, typically on grounds of 'bio-terrorism' or something similar. He hadn't tried to open branches of his company in Hyrule or any of the other predominantly Catalyst nations, but his anti-Catalyst operations were successful in other nations because the people in power weren't like Harrison McCormick or Caroline Portman. They feared Catalysts. That was another thing that helped Frost. During the McCormick-Portman Administration, U.S. relations with a lot of the world faltered due to their pro-Catalyst stance. Nicholas Frost's views promised to change that._

 _Senator Hudson talked about taking guns out of the hands of criminals, disarming the nuclear capabilities of the world, strengthening borders while maintaining a culture of diversity and promoting gender and marriage equality. He talked about strengthening race relations and stopping the unfair targeting of minorities. He promised more efficient healthcare, tuition-free colleges and universities, and higher minimum wages, but also proposed higher taxes to support it all. He vowed to continue the previous administration's support for Catalysts, and try to foster better relations with nations who feared them._

 _With the exception of Frost's anti-Catalyst rhetoric, I could see why any American could have a hard time choosing between the two candidates. Despite running on opposite sides of the political spectrum, both made strong promises._

 _But I knew better. I knew they said what they thought voters wanted to hear._

 _Frost, for all his talk of equality, degraded women and minorities. He talked of women as if their only redeeming quality was their physical appearance. When talking about immigration, he slumped all immigrants together as criminals and degenerates. His supporters would defend him constantly, but he never clarified for himself, leaving his supporters unable to prove that he really meant what they said he meant. He was accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old singer that his company was providing security detail for, though the allegations were eventually dismissed due to lack of evidence. Not even a week later, he blasted the singer on a daytime talk show, claiming she was only after his money. There were even rumors that his company sold weapons to terror groups in Egypt and Syria._

 _Hudson was no better. He'd been through several marriages, several affairs and more scandals than anyone could count, despite his campaign promises of 'fighting for family integrity'. His first wife, another well-known Senator, cheated on him with one of her interns; a point that Frost's supporters frequently tried to use to discredit Hudson's campaign. Hudson was also part of a council that made a deal with China, giving them nuclear elements that many alleged were sold to North Korea._

 _During his first year, Frost made good on his promises to roll back protections for Catalysts. Many U.S. born Catalysts were imprisoned, some were killed, and foreign-born Catalysts were detained at Guantanamo Bay. Hyrule and the rest of the Catalyst nations could only sit back and watch as Frost began to utilize the same tactics in the United States that he had use throughout other parts of the world. Slowly, the predominantly Catalyst nations were becoming isolated, and the U.S. strengthened relations with countries that shunned Catalysts: Russia, China, Iran… Just to name a few._

 _But it was in late 2017 where things really took a terrifying turn."_

* * *

" **Threat Level Orange"  
** **December 15, 2017 – 15:00  
** **The White House  
** **Washington, D.C., U.S.A.**

President Frost stood at a podium in the White House, cameras trained on him. Several microphones were set up on the podium, poised to catch his every word. He had called a press conference to discuss the state of "Catalyst containment" and deliver a message to the American people.

"My fellow Americans…" President Frost said, addressing the reporters in the room as well as the millions of Americans viewing from their homes. "We've suffered a great many tragedies over the last few years. Including the tragic execution of President McCormick. In 2014, a small network of terrorists unleashed a chemical agent across the world, which caused some people to develop superhuman abilities. It also killed many others and mutated many into horrific and strange monsters."

"Mr. President, Sir! I thought that claim was proven false. I thought the self-proclaimed leader of Catalysts came forward and said that the claim of a chemical agent was a government cover-up attempting to hide the truth that these creatures and gifted humans developed their abilities naturally." Protested a reporter.

"These Bio-Terrorists will say whatever they need to in order to get us to sympathize with their cause and accept them into our society." Frost said. "We cannot embrace these radicals."

"Mr. President, sir. Catalysts have not caused any known issues in the past four years." Argued another reporter. "All known terror attacks have been perpetrated by humans, and incidents caused by Catalysts were a result of Alyson Hale and her Atlas Defense Agency."

"According to the investigation done into the ADA, those soldiers were free men and women. They were employed by the government, but the agency went rogue. Alyson Hale was convicted as President McCormick's killer. Surely you know that." Added another reporter.

"That investigation and its findings came from the previous administration; an administration tainted and controlled by Bio-Terrorists. Former FBI Director Pierce is a known Bio-Terrorist." Frost said. "In order to increase productivity in our searches for Bio-Terrorists within our borders, I am hereby reassembling the Atlas Defense Agency, using resources from both the Frost Corporation and our military. All potential employees will be screened for Bio-Terrorist traits prior to employment. I am also ordering the release of former CIA Agent Alyson Hale, who will be a Bio-Terrorist consultant and kept under strict government surveillance. In addition, any citizens, Bio-Terrorist or otherwise, found to be harboring or aiding these dangerous monsters will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Thank you, and God Bless America."

* * *

" _The Atlas Defense Agency… A task force assembled by the government to hunt and imprison Catalysts, including myself and my friends. When the ADA was originally formed, we were still U.S. citizens. Shaylene and I managed to escape capture by the ADA and then worked to free the other Sages._

 _During our war with the ADA, we lost two of our own. The Sages of Ice and Forest, whose powers were transferred to Stacey and Alex, the Sages of Water and Earth respectively._

 _Somehow, Alyson Hale managed to hypnotize Jennette and turn her against us, something I knew already happened in the near future… Or would potentially happen._

 _Originally, my friends and I gained our powers later in life, after some of us had even started families. But somewhere along the way, Jennette became some sort of power-hungry tyrant and seized control of the United States, ruling over it with an iron first. She turned on her own kind, and my wife and daughter were killed. I traveled back in time, forcing powers upon my younger self and the remaining Sages earlier than we had originally gained them._

 _Armed with the knowledge of the future, I aimed to change it, but only saw Agent Hale usher in that future earlier than it should've happened. She brainwashed Jennette into turning on her own kind and tried to paint us as small-town 'Bio-Terrorists' trying to form an uprising against the government. Tried to claim that we murdered the President – her handiwork, I might add – and assaulted a government facility. That second part wasn't wrong. I assaulted several government facilities, and a couple of military bases, in my quest to rescue my friends. Left a few bodies in my path, too – something I'm certainly not proud of._

 _Hale tried to paint the ADA as an organization out to protect the world from Catalysts. Ultimately, we were able to expose Hale as a Catalyst herself, not unlike the majority of her task force, and in doing so, undermined the entire operation. Vice President Portman stepped up following the ADA's assassination of President McCormick, and she and FBI Director Pierce conducted a full investigation into the ADA. Apparently, the ADA had been formed on government grants to aid Catalysts. President McCormick knew the people would be fearful of us, and sought to protect us. I found out through personal connections in the intelligence community that he was personally motivated in this endeavor – his daughter Savannah was a Catalyst. But, for some reason, Agent Hale went rogue and turned the agency against myself and my friends._

 _And now, not only had Nicholas Frost begun to imprison Catalysts, but he was going so far as to label anyone associated with a Catalyst as a traitor to the country. I knew I needed to act, but I also knew that I needed to tread carefully. The world was becoming very divided on Catalysts, and I knew the slightest pin drop could ripple into World War III…"_

* * *

 **December 16, 2017 – 11:15  
** **Hyrule Castle Town**

CJ and Shaylene sat in a large conference room with several other people. A blonde-haired woman in a regal pink gown… A large, turtle-like creature with a green shell, spiked red tufts of hair on his head, and two golden horns… A large blue penguin-like creature wearing a red robe… an ape wearing only a red tie with yellow lettering that read "DK"… a gray-haired, fair-skinned man in a navy blue suit… and two anthropomorphic dogs: a brown bloodhound in a red suit and a Doberman in a black suit.

"I've called you here for one reason." CJ said. "I'm sure you witnessed the press conference called by President Frost."

"Of course." Stated the woman in the pink gown, Mushroom Kingdom Queen Peach. "What are you thinking?"

"At the very least, we need to form a united front protecting Catalysts." CJ said. "If possible, we need to get as many out of the U.S. as we can."

"How do you propose we do that?" Asked the turtle, Mushroom Kingdom King Bowser.

"I don't know." CJ said.

"That's the tricky part." Added Shaylene, addressing the other leaders. "We propose at least opening our borders to Catalysts and granting them asylum from the United States. Possibly even a simple path to citizenship."

"We've had measures in place since you fought against Atlas." Peach said. "Our kingdom is open."

"Anyone seeking protection from President Frost is more than welcome in the DK Isles." Stated the ape, Donkey Kong.

"Same is true of Corneria." Stated the bloodhound, Cornerian Head of State Pepper. "Especially those from the United States."

"Our borders are open as well." The man, President Grey of the United Federation, said.

"And you, King Dedede?" CJ questioned, looking at the penguin.

"Sure. They can come to my kingdom." Stated King Dedede, ruler of Dream Land. " _After_ you all can't take any more."

CJ sighed. "Fine. Good enough."

* * *

" _The process had begun to free Catalysts from Frost's grasp. Our borders were open to Catalyst refugees. We had begun to work to form an alliance between Catalyst nations. But first, we had a new task at hand…_

 _Savannah McCormick. 17-year-old daughter of President Curtis._

 _Intel indicated that she was somewhere in DC. For whatever reason, Frost was treading carefully with her. Maybe because, despite all the trash talking Frost did to her father's administration, she was still the daughter of a former president."_

* * *

" **Behind Enemy Lines"  
** **February 23, 2018 – 02:07  
** **Washington, D.C., U.S.A.**

Alex, Stacey and Janelle laid on a rooftop overlooking a tall building somewhere in D.C. A cold air pierced the night sky as snowfall descended on the United States capital. At ground level, scattered on street corners nearby, were the other four Sages.

"All call signs, radio check." CJ said.

" _Lightning Seven, check."_

" _Spirit Five, check."_

" _Thievious Thirteen, check."_

 _I thought we agreed on Tsunami Three, but fine._ CJ thought.

" _Boulder Ten, check."_

 _"Inferno Two, check."_

" _Cyclone Three, check."_

"Shadow Command, copy all." CJ replied. "Intel reports that Athena is being held in the Sullivan Hotel. 4th Floor, Room 419. Our mission is to get in and extract the target quickly and quietly. If Frost gets wind of a foreign operation happening on American soil without his approval, it could mean war. Especially if he discovers it was Catalysts. Lightning Seven, when I give the signal, cut the power to the hotel. And let's try to avoid lightning."

" _It's just a little thundersnow. No big deal."_

"Like I said… _Quietly._ " CJ said. "When I give the word, cut the hotel's power. We need to sneak in, secure the HVI and exfil."

" _We need to what?"_ Stacey questioned.

"Get in, get the girl, and get out." CJ said.

 _"Oh. Why didn't you just say that?"_

"Can we focus?" CJ questioned. "Boulder Ten, Inferno Two and Thievious Thirteen, you're on overwatch. If this goes south, we'll need backup from outside the hotel."

" _Got it."_ Alex said.

"Spirit Five, you're on point. Scan for energy signatures as we approach each floor. Just in case our intel's off." CJ said. "Cyclone Three, you watch our flank. Everyone clear?"

" _Clear."_ Aubrey said.

" _Got it."_ Jennette replied.

" _10-4."_ Shaylene said.

" _Got it."_ Stacey and Janelle responded.

"Good." CJ said. "Shadow Command to Delta One, come in."

" _Delta One here. What's the status on the HVI?"_

"Delta One, be advised we are preparing to enter the target building now." CJ said. "We will re-initiate contact once we have secured the HVI. Shadow Command, out. Squad, group up across the street from the main entrance. Maintain stealth." The Sages on the ground met up across from the hotel. "Shay, kill the lights in 3… 2… 1…" An entire section of the city went dark. "Let's move." The team entered walked toward the main door. "Stand by. Clerk at the front desk." He watched as the clerk stood up and walked to the back office, mumbling something to themselves. "Clear. Jennette, take point. Across the lobby and up the stairs." The Sages rushed through the lobby, led by Jennette. She led them up the stairs, stopping halfway up.

"Hold up." Jennette said. "Scanning for targets. No Catalysts. There's one security guard at the east end of the hallway. Stand by. Okay, he's moved into the eastern stairwell. We're clear." The Sages moved up the stairs, reaching the second floor. As they neared the top, CJ took the lead. He held up his hand, signaling the other Sages to wait, as he peeked around the corner of the wall atop the stairs, scanning the hallway.

"Clear. Move up." CJ said, as he slipped across the hall to the next set of stairs. The rest of the Sages followed as Jennette took the lead again. She stopped halfway up the stairs.

"Stand by. Scanning." Jennette said, as she focused her energy. "No catalysts. Security's moved up though. Coming in our direction."

"He's probably moving from floor to floor. Fall back to the second floor." CJ said. The Sages backed down the stairs as Jennette continued to focus.

"He's past the central staircase." Jennette said, as the Sages began to creep back up the stairs. "He's moving toward the western stairwell." She peeked around the corner, scanning the hallway. "Clear."

"Move up." CJ said, leading the Sages to the next staircase. Jennette began to focus again.

"Bad news." Jennette said. "Security skipped the fourth floor. He's still in the west stairwell heading toward the fifth floor. I'm detecting three Catalyst signatures. Two guarding the room and one inside."

"Good news is, those guards are most likely friendly." CJ said. "Hold up. I'll handle this." He walked down the hallway toward the guards. "Morning boys." As soon as he greeted them, the guards quickly drew their guns.

"Identify yourself!" One of the guards shouted. CJ activated him comm.

"Lightning Seven, brighten up the hallway."

" _On it."_ Shaylene focused for a moment and the lights on the fourth floor came back on.

"Your Majesty." One of the guards said. "We've been expecting you."

"Team, we're clear. Move up." CJ said. The other Sages caught up to him as the guards let them into the hotel room. Inside, sitting on the bed, was a 17-year-old girl with curly brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a light blue silk nightgown.

"Savannah, do you know who I am?" CJ asked.

"The King of Hyrule." Savannah said.

"We're here to get you out of here." CJ said. "Back to Hyrule." He turned to the guards. "Where's the former First Lady?"

"Can we… talk outside?" One of the guards asked. CJ turned to the girls.

"You three stay here." He said, stepping outside. "What's going on?"

"President Frost arrested former First Lady McCormick." One of the guards said. "Wouldn't tell him where we had taken Savannah."

"Sorry, I understand you're friendly, but who are you exactly?" CJ asked.

"Jason Pendleton, ex-Secret Service under President McCormick." One guard said.

"Cameron Knox, same." The other guard said. "After Frost got elected, all of us Catalysts from Harrison's Secret Service started doing what we could to protect our own. Savannah was top priority. We've been moving her around for a while. Frost tried everything to find her, including arresting the former First Lady. We knew we needed to get her out. That's why we tipped off your intelligence agency."

"That's what you meant when you said you've been expecting us." CJ said.

"Yes." Jason said. "We'll leave the extraction to you. We still have work to do." With that, the three re-entered the room. "Savannah, the King and the others will take you to Hyrule. You'll be safe there. We'll work on tracking down your mother."

"Thank you." Savannah said, looking at the Sages.

"You're welcome." CJ activated him comm. "Shadow Command to Delta One, HVI is secure. We're moving to exit the target building."

" _Copy, Shadow Command. Primary exfil point is secure."_ Delta One replied.

"Copy. We're on our way. ETA 10 mikes. Shadow Command out." CJ said. "Let's move team. Our exfil point in on Roosevelt Island." A short time later, the Sages met with a group of soldiers waiting near a strange green portal in the woods near a memorial. One of the soldiers stepped forward and greeted CJ.

"No sign of Frost's men, sir."

"Good work, Delta. Let's get home." With that, the group stepped into the portal, which vanished once they were all through.

* * *

" _We were successful in sneaking Savannah out of the United States, and as far as we could tell, Frost was none the wiser. Former Agents Pendleton and Knox were working on a ring to smuggle Catalysts out of the United States. They would sneak them to Mexico, and the rest of us would take over from there._

 _The process was slow at first, but by late 2019, things were in the works that were going to make everything much easier."_

* * *

" **Diplomacy"  
** **December 19, 2019 – 14:30  
** **Hyrule Castle Town**

CJ and Shaylene sat in a conference room with the leaders of the various Catalyst nations. On the back wall were a series of monitors showing video of the offices of several other world leaders.

"Thank you all for agreeing to meet with me this afternoon." CJ said. He turned his attention to the monitors. "Especially all of you. I know it was nothing for the people in this room to gather with me, but for the rest of you… Hyrule and the other Catalyst nations represented in this room are countries that seemingly sprung up overnight. Land masses that appeared out of nowhere. And I want to thank you for the work you've done accepting not only our nations, but also our people and the strange events that have transpired these past few years."

"We may not understand Catalysts, or the other creatures that inhabit your countries, but your right to life is no different than us humans." Stated the German Chancellor.

"I presume you've called us here to discuss the situation in America?" Asked the British Prime Minister.

"Yes I have." CJ responded. "I cannot sit idly by while President Frost continues to persecute my kind. Because of this, the six nations represented here, as well as the Poke Union, are officially uniting under the banner of the United Catalyst Alliance – an alliance built on Catalyst representatives from all nations. Unfortunately, the members of the Champions League are busy dealing with a threat to their nation and were unable to attend our meeting. But I would like to ask all of you today to stand with us against President Frost and the hateful anti-Catalyst rhetoric of the United States."

"Are you talking of a declaration of war against the U.S.?" Asked the Israeli Prime Minister. "Do you understand the implications of such action?! You would likely drive us into World War III! I cannot stand with that."

"Prime Minister, I have no plans to declare war against the United States." CJ said. "I would like to try a more diplomatic approach first. I want to unite us under the banner of protecting Catalysts and giving my kind the same basic rights as other humans. Maybe if enough of us band together under this cause, we can put the pressure on President Frost to turn the attitude of the United States around."

"And if we can't?" Inquired the Italian Prime Minister.

"You're free to turn down the invitation." CJ said. "I would like to believe that this can be achieved peacefully, but if need be, military action will be taken against the United States. However, I aim to use that only as an absolute last resort. I do not want to lead the world into another war. My goal is to protect lives, not destroy them."

"Know this: Germany will stand by the U.C.A." Stated the German Chancellor. "But understand that Nicholas Frost is an impulsive man, and we must prepare for a rash response following the public announcement of this alliance."

"Following your announcement of this alliance, we shall go public with our intent to join you." The British Prime Minister said. "Catalysts are more than welcome on British soil, and we will not hesitate to make our stance well-known to President Frost."

"Madam Prime Minister, Madam Chancellor… Thank you." CJ said.

"We will not follow the footsteps of President Frost and condemn Catalysts." The Israeli Prime Minister said. "However, I do not want to risk publicly allying with the U.C.A. I cannot risk the possibility of the United States turning against us. Catalysts are welcome in Israel, but I do not want an enemy in the United States."

"I understand." CJ said. "At the very least, thank you for your support."

* * *

" _I understood the stance of the Israeli Prime Minister. A surprising number of Middle Eastern countries had begun allying with the United States against Catalysts. To publicly join our alliance would be a certain death sentence for Israel._

 _On the bright side, we had made some powerful allies ourselves… The United Kingdom, Italy, France, Canada, Mexico. We had managed to secure alliances with both nations bordering the United States._

 _With the help of the Catalysts of the former Secret Service, I expected minimal difficulty smuggling Catalysts out of the country._

 _But, as the German Chancellor warned, President Frost did not take lightly to our new alliance…"_

* * *

" **The Alliance"  
** **December 20, 2019 – 09:19  
** **The White House  
** **Washington, D.C., U.S.A.**

"Mr. President, Sir, there's something you need to see." A government agent stood in the Oval Office with President Frost, holding a laptop under his arm.

"What is it?" President Frost asked. The agent placed the laptop on Frost's desk and began to play a video on it. On the screen were CJ and Shaylene. On the wall behind them was the Hylian Royal Seal: the Triforce above the red bird-like symbol, known in Hyrule as a Crimson Loftwing. Standing behind CJ and Shaylene were Peach and Bowser, King Dedede, Donkey Kong, President Grey, and Corneria's Pepper and Prime Minister Boxer.

"We, the Catalyst nations of the world, are coming to you this morning to formally announce that following the re-establishment of the Atlas Defense Agency, we are uniting together to create the United Catalyst Alliance. We are coming together under one banner to protect Catalysts around the world. We are extending an open invitation to the nations of the world to join this alliance, and we will build a U.C.A. Council made up of representatives from the original Catalyst nations, as well as Catalyst representatives from any nation willing to ally with us." President Frost cut the feed, slamming the laptop shut.

"Assemble the media." President Frost said. "I need to respond to this."

A short time later, President Frost had gathered in the White House Briefing Room. Cameras were trained on the podium at the front of the room. Around the United States, news anchors had interrupted scheduled programming with announcements of an "emergency address from the President". As news feeds cut away from anchors to the image of the podium, Frost stepped up and began to address the nation.

"My fellow Americans… Late yesterday afternoon, the King of Hyrule stepped up and announced an alliance between Hyrule, the Mushroom Kingdom, and various other nations known to harbor and protect 'Catalysts'. These Bio-Terrorists have been a threat to our nation for several years now. Effective immediately, all travel to and from these nations is prohibited. In addition, anyone found guilty of aiding these nations harbor Bio-Terrorists will be arrested and charged with treason."

* * *

 **December 20, 2019 – 12:45  
** **Hyrule Castle Town**

CJ and the other Sages were gathered in a room deep below Hyrule Castle, along with the other leaders of the Catalyst nations, watching a broadcast of President Frost's speech.

" _In other news, President Frost has declared a travel ban on several nations, including Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom, citing threats from Catalysts. He has also begun a manhunt for any citizens aiding Catalysts, and declared that anyone found guilty will be arrested and charged with treason. Despite a surge in President Frost's approval rating, opponents of Frost claim that the travel ban is unconstitutional, and that Frost's administration is discriminating against Catalysts. House Speaker Richard Carmine and Senate Majority Leader Linda Goodwin have both spoken out against President Frost, with Speaker Carmine announcing that he intends to run against President Frost in the 2020 election."_

"This is a problem." CJ said. "Frost's approval ratings have begun surging following this declaration."

"What do we do?" Shaylene asked.

"We need to increase our efforts in Mexico and Canada. Strengthen our forces and help the former Secret Service agents smuggle Catalysts out of the U.S. In the meantime, we and the other U.C.A. nations need to fortify our defense against the potential threat of an attack by President Frost."

"Do you think that's actually going to happen?" Aubrey asked.

"I'm not ruling it out as a possibility." CJ said. "Frost is irrational. He sees Catalysts as threats. I don't want to expect an attack, but we need to be prepared. As more nations come out and declare an alliance with the U.C.A., Frost is going to feel increasingly threatened, and we need to be prepared to defend ourselves against a cornered beast."

"If we start mobilizing troops, won't Frost see that as a threat?" Jennette questioned.

"Maybe." CJ replied.

"Don't you think this might be a time for diplomacy?" Alex asked.

"Normally, yes." CJ said. "But this is a man who's severed all ties to Catalyst nations and has gone so far as to label U.S. citizens as traitors simply for being associated with Catalysts. We need to prepare for the worst. War may very well be on our doorstep."

* * *

" _I wanted to be wrong. I wanted to think that we weren't potentially about to begin World War III. I wanted to believe that Frost's cabinet members would calm him down, or Congress would fight his anti-Catalyst rhetoric. I wanted to believe the people would fall into the hate he was spewing._

 _I wanted to, but I knew that wasn't the case."_

* * *

" **Tension Rising"  
** **January 6, 2020 – 09:00  
** **The White House  
** **Washington, D.C., U.S.A.**

President Frost sat in the Oval Office as a gentleman walked in. He had slicked back jet black hair with streaks of grey, brown eyes, and wore a black suit.

* * *

" _Former CIA Director Arthur Capewell, and Frost's pick for Vice President. I didn't know it at the time he was elected, or while he was the Director of the CIA, but Capewell called me on the banks of the Potomac in 2015, after we broke Alex out of an ADA facility at Quantico Marine Base. He was pressured to resign following our work exposing the ADA, and there was a lot of controversy over Frost choosing him as VP. Not enough to prevent Frost's victory, of course. With Capewell as Frost's VP and Alyson Hale released from Gitmo, I knew it was only a matter of time before my ghosts came back to haunt me."_

* * *

"Arthur, good morning." Frost said, getting up to greet his VP.

"Good morning, Mr. President." Vice President Capewell greeted, shaking Frost's hand.

Frost walked back to his desk and sat down. "Arthur, there's no need to be so formal. You know you can call me Nick."

"Sir, Miss Hale is here to see you."

"Excellent. Let her in." Frost pulled a laptop out of a bag on his desk as Capewell opened a door built into one of the walls. Through the door walked a woman with brown eyes and short brown hair, dressed in a grey suit.

"Good morning, Mr. President." Former CIA Agent Alyson Hale greeted, walking over to Frost's desk.

"Good morning, Miss Hale." Frost stood up and shook Hale's hand. "How is life beyond the walls of Gitmo treating you?"

"Good, sir. Thank you." Hale took a seat and pulled a small flash drive out of her pocket.

Frost took the drive from Hale and connected it to his computer. "I take it this is what I asked for."

"Yes, Nick." Capewell said, taking a seat. "The intel we could gather on the King of Hyrule. Including information on his group's battle with Miss Hale and her agency."

"During your tenure as Director of the CIA?"

"Yes, sir." Frost began combing through the files.

"Am I reading this correctly? His queen is 20? And they've been together since she was 18?"

"Yes, Mr. President." Hale said.

"Both of them are U.S. born, correct?"

"Correct, Nick."

"Any suspicion of misconduct between the two of them before her 18th birthday?"

"Of course, Mr. President." Hale said. "They have a long history. Known each other since she was 6. But we have no way to prove anything."

"What is your plan, Nick?"

"I'm trying to find something I can use against the King." Frost said, opening another file. "And I found it."

"What exactly did you find, Mr. President?"

"Why were formal charges never brought against the King for the murders of several federal agents in New York?"

"Because of my history and that of the agency." Hale said. "After exposing me as President McCormick's killer and the mastermind behind the ADA, any potential charges were dropped. My agents and I were deemed as rogue government operatives. Many of my men were sent to Gitmo along with me. As far as the justice system was concerned, he was a hero and I was a terrorist."

"We're going to need to work hard to wipe out that history." Frost said. "I've already planted the seeds, painted the McCormick Administration as an administration that was funded and run by Catalysts."

"Mr. President, you _do_ understand that I am a Catalyst, correct?" Hale questioned.

"Of course I do." Frost said. "But your expertise in this matter is invaluable. You're a valuable asset to us in our war against Catalysts. And our war against their bio-terrorist King."

"Nick, is there more to this than just Catalysts?" Capewell questioned.

"Caleb Arlington." Frost said.

"He was one of our agents killed in New York." Hale stated.

"Carla…" Capewell gasped.

"Who's Carla?" Hale questioned.

"My daughter." Frost said. "She and Caleb were married three weeks prior to his murder."

"I should've suspected a personal connection." Hale said.

"And with official CIA intel suspecting him of the murder of several federal agents..." Capewell interrupted Frost.

"Nick, you might want to open the video file attached to that file." Frost opened the video file, scanning the images on screen.

"This is security footage, clearly showing him attacking the guards." Frost said.

"Yes, Mr. President."

"And, they died as a result of these injuries?"

"There were no injuries, Nick. Those attacks killed them instantly."

"We have definitive proof now that the leader of the U.C.A. is responsible for the deaths of several federal agents." Frost said. "We can rain Hell on the King of Hyrule, and Catalysts soon after."

"What is your vendetta against Catalysts, Mr. President?"

"Aside from the fact that one of them killed the love of my daughter's life? They're a threat. You know this. You turned on your own kind."

"The ADA was formed to protect Catalysts." Hale said, clenching her fist beneath the chair. "I took control of the agency to use its resources for personal reasons. I intended to bring justice against the King of Hyrule and his friends, and once that was done, I had every intention to use the agency to protect my kind."

"I suppose it's my turn to ask you… What is your vendetta against the King, Miss Hale?"

"My nephew Derek had the power to enter and manipulate dreams. His own dreams as well as the dreams of others. He was also what the King and his friends called a 'Light Eater' – a type of Catalyst that must draw power from certain other Catalysts in order to use their gifts. Derek needed to absorb light energy in order to enter and manipulate dreams. The most abundant source of light energy that Derek knew was Shaylene, before her days as the Queen of Hyrule. They were classmates in high school. He would draw from her energy from time to time, and it was enough to keep his power sustained." Hale said. "He also had romantic feelings for her. But he messed up and tried to rape her. That didn't end well. She pulled out of school for a while and he wasn't able to draw from her energy. CJ started protecting her more, using his power to shield her, especially once she returned to school. Derek started entering her dreams and absorbing her power there. She sought refuge in Hyrule, which at the time was merged with their hometown. He tried to find her and was attacked by CJ. I got a text from Derek that day. He was terrified of the 'Shadow Catalyst protecting Shaylene'. Said he threatened to kill Derek if he came near her again. It wasn't long after that I got a call from my sister. Derek had been hit and killed by a car."

"I'm sorry for you loss, but after what he did and who he was, maybe it was the world taking its course." Frost said.

"He made a mistake!" Hale shouted. "He was just a kid! He didn't deserve to lose his life over it! Nor did he deserve to lose his life for being a Catalyst!"

"And yet, you were willing to kill several Catalysts because of an accident."

"Derek wouldn't have been hit by that car if he wasn't running in terror from the King of Hyrule! And none of us would've become Catalysts if the King and his friend didn't detonate that device! I could live with my powers. I could live with what I was. I could protect our people from the threat of those who feared us. But I couldn't forgive what the Sages did to my family."

"My son-in-law is dead because of your personal vendetta to avenge the death of your rapist nephew." Frost said, his blood beginning to boil. He pressed a button on his desk phone. "Agent Anderson, Agent Barrett, come in here please." A pair of suited men walked in.

"Yes, Mr. President?" Asked Secret Service Agent Vaughn Anderson.

"Send Miss Hale back to Gitmo." Frost said. "Her services are no longer needed."

"You'll never get away with this!" Hale exclaimed, as she stood up and her hands gave off a fiery aura. The Secret Service agents drew their guns, which Hale quickly melted in a blast of fire, scorching the agents' hands in the process. Almost immediately, a gunshot rang out and Hale dropped the ground, a wound in her skull. Behind her stood Frost, a smoking handgun in his left hand.

"Gather the press." Frost said. "I have an announcement to make."

A short time later, Frost was standing at the podium in the White House Briefing Room, news cameras trained on him.

"My fellow Americans, this morning I received a briefing on the Atlas Defense Agency prior to its de-funding a couple of years ago. Following investigations by those with no conflicts of interest in the case of Bio-Terrorists, we have discovered that the ADA, as stated, was using Bio-Terrorist prisoners of the country, and was headed by former CIA Agent Alyson Hale, who was also a Bio-Terrorist. Miss Hale has once again been formally charged with the murder of former President McCormick. We also discovered surveillance footage implicating the King of Hyrule in the murder of several federal agents at a Bio-Terrorist containment facility in New York." Reporters immediately began bombarding President Frost with questions.

"Mr. President, are you saying that you intend to bring charges against the leader of a foreign nation?"

"Mr. President, do you intend to prosecute the leaders of the Catalyst nations in the U.C.A.?"

"Mr. President, what of the nations of the world that have announced alliances with the U.C.A.?"

"Settle down, everyone." Frost said. "I have no intentions of bringing charges against any of the nations in the United Catalyst Alliance at this time. However, effective immediately, I am deploying troops on the ground in Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom."

* * *

" _That was where tensions rose and the conflict began. As soon as Frost received word about my deeds back on South Brother Island, I knew war was on the horizon. He had bypassed Congress and ordered troops on the ground in Hyrule. I knew if I made the first move, the U.S. would strike back, claiming that we attacked first. But I was not going to let Frost walk all over my kingdom."_


	2. Act II

Act II

" **Disruption"  
** **January 6, 2020 – 13:45  
** **Hyrule Castle Town**

CJ and the other Sages were gathered deep below Hyrule Castle in a large room filled with computers, machines and various creatures operating them, several of them dressed in clothes that clearly showed that they were high-ranking military officers.

"What should we do, Your Majesty?" Questioned a Goron Army General. "The U.S. is officially deploying troops to our shores."

"We can't attack or fight back." CJ said. "Not unless Frost attacks first. If we make the first strike, the U.S. will counter with all they have."

"Sire, it's no secret that the U.S. is prone to military force." Stated an Admiral of the Zora Navy. "They've demonstrated it clearly over the past few years… North Korea, Venezuela, China. Frost isn't afraid to use force. And those were nations that allied with his views on Catalysts."

"I know." CJ said. "But we can't risk being the first to attack."

"If we sit back and let Frost strike, innocent lives will be lost, CJ." Shaylene argued.

"If we give Frost something to focus on, or better yet, give the United States voters a reason to doubt him, we may be able to stop this war before it begins." CJ said. "Frost is up for re-election this year. If we can show the American people that they aren't as secure as they think they are with him, maybe we can get him to back off."

"What are you suggesting?" Asked a Gerudo.

"Targeted strikes to U.S. intelligence." CJ said. "Show Frost that his operatives aren't hard to find."

"If we admit to hacking into CIA servers, Frost will rain even more Hell down on us." Stated a Hylian.

"That's why we don't admit to it." CJ said. "Frost may be allied with North Korea, Russia and China when it comes to Catalysts, but there's still a lot of mistrust there, and I'd bet money that the U.S. has undercover operatives inside those governments. Let's expose them."

"You realize you could be sending American agents to their deaths, right?" Shaylene asked.

"On it, Your Majesty." A Goron said.

"Frost needs to understand that he's crossing lines and making enemies. He tried to start this war, he'd better expect casualties." CJ said.

* * *

" _Frost had crossed a line. Deploying troops in my kingdom. I wasn't going to let that go unpunished, even if I didn't plan on outing my kingdom as the source of the leaks. Maybe exposing American spies and potentially sending them to their death wasn't the best idea. But it may have only been a matter of time before Frost infiltrated my government and brought his special brand of death to Hyrule. And after the CIA and FBI gave birth to the agency that brought Alyson Hale down on us, it only seemed fair."_

* * *

 **January 12, 2020 – 11:15  
** **The White House  
** **Washington, D.C., U.S.A.**

A man walked into the Oval Office, where Frost was meeting with an Army general. Under the man's arm was a laptop.

"Excuse me, Mr. President. General. Sorry to disturb you, but you need to see this."

"What is it?" Frost asked as the man placed the laptop on the desk. He opened the laptop and pulled up a file, displaying a list of names,

"This was send to me by Director Porter." The man said. "It's a list of the identities of our intelligence operatives in the field."

"Do we know who leaked this information?" Frost asked.

"No, sir. However, it's been plastered all over the web and it's likely in the hands of our enemies."

"Thank you for the information." Frost said. The man walked out and Frost immediately picked up his phone. "Get me Director Porter." He paused for a few moments, waiting for a response from the other end. "Jesse, I want your best cyber unit tracking the online posts of the list of operatives."

" _Mr. President, sir, that list has likely been downloaded and reposted hundreds, if not thousands, of times."_

"I don't care. I want to know who posted it originally. Get your best team on it and get it done." Frost said before hanging up the phone.

* * *

" _Frost may have ordered the CIA's best tech team to trace my leaks, but I had my best tech team working to mask those leaks… In a way that was sure to send Frost's head spinning."_

* * *

" _Mr. President, Director Porter is here to see you."_

"Send him in." President Frost said. The door to the Oval Office swung open and in walked a tan-skinned bald man, dressed in a pressed suit, with brown eyes that were dulled from fatigue.

"Good afternoon, Mr. President." Director Porter said.

"I assume you're here with news of our intelligence leaks." Frost said.

"Yes, sir." Porter connected a small USB drive to Frost's computer, bringing up a large map on the screen. In various spots were blinking red dots. "This is a far as my tech team could get. We traced the leaks back to 5 cities. The capitals of five of the U.C.A. nations – Hyrule, the Mushroom Kingdom, Corneria, Dream Land and the United Federation."

"It's the King of Hyrule." Frost said. "I know it. He's taunting me. Bastard." He then pressed a button on his phone. "I need to pay a visit to the Capitol."

* * *

" _Little did I know, raiding the intelligence community and exposing U.S. operatives would ultimately prove fatal to the U.C.A. Little did Frost know, I wasn't done with my show of power."_

* * *

Frost stood in the U.S. Capitol before the members of Congress.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Congress, it's no secret about the misdeeds of Bio-Terrorists in our country, and the blatant disrespect to our country from the Bio-Terrorists nations of the world, specifically those in the United Catalyst Alliance. According to the CIA, five of the major nations in that alliance are jointly responsible for the leaking of intelligence records that led to the exposure of key operatives within the ranks of our enemies. I come to you today seeking…" In mid-sentence, Frost's mic shut off and the room went pitch-black. A few moments later, the emergency lights turned on and the chamber was bathed in dim light.

" _President Frost…"_ A distorted voice boomed out from the speakers in the room. _"United States Congress… You have gone vastly unopposed by the rest of the world for too long. Your nation has stomped on and bullied the world for too long. You have played Big Brother and put your nose where it doesn't belong. I'm here to show you that your attitude will no longer be tolerated. For decades, the United States has written the agenda because they've wielded the biggest stick. That is no longer the case. You are no longer the big dog. You may have an intimidating bark, but you'll find that my bite carries more pain. This is only the first show of my power. There will be more."_ Feedback blared through the speakers before the room was silent. Moments later, the lights turned back on the crackling of the President's mic could be heard again.

Across the country, a nationwide news network broadcast interrupted regular programming.

"We bring you breaking news out of the nation's capital. Reports are coming in that a cyber-attack was committed on Congress, and a threatening message was played through the Capitol's audio system. We've also received reports of widespread power outages across the country, as well as outages to major websites, including Facebook, Google, and many state and federal websites." The anchor stopped, as if she was reading something. "We have more breaking news to add: Reports are coming in from across the country of flight delays out of all major cities, and we have unconfirmed reports that last-minute alterations to flight paths may have caused a plane crash in the Midwest. We'll bring more as it comes."

* * *

" _I wasn't planning on showing that I was responsible for the leaks or the attack on the U.S. infrastructure. I wanted the U.S. weakened and its people scared. I wanted Frost to see that he had made enemies. I wanted him to know that he had made_ _powerful_ _enemies._

 _In the months that followed, Frost backed down a bit. Troops pulled out of the U.C.A. nations and investigations into what we were doing seemed to cease. According to my contacts in the intelligence community, Frost stopped digging into the leaks of the U.S. operatives, and all the operatives exposed were pulled back by the CIA. Thankfully, they were surprisingly unharmed._

 _But Frost continued to speak of Catalysts as if we were the enemy. Social media chatter about us increased. Anytime a terror act occurred around the world, social media lit up with people blaming the act on 'Bio-Terrorist freaks'._

 _And with Frost getting re-elected in a landslide victory, it was evident that Catalysts wouldn't see the U.S. become our ally anytime soon…"_

* * *

" **Scorched Earth"  
** **February 16, 2022 – 02:37  
** **Toad Town, Mushroom Kingdom**

"Spectre Two to Eagle One, we're approaching the target."

"Copy that, Spectre. We're approaching the TLZ now. Standing by on your go."

A group of five B-2 stealth bombers flew in a line toward Toad Town by the cover of nightfall. As they crossed the harbor, they began dropping a series of bombs over the city, which exploded with gaseous clouds until a haze loomed over the city.

"Spectre Two to Command, gas has been deployed."

" _Copy Spectre Two. Metal Team, what's your status?"_

"Metal Zero-One, on approach. Eagle Team, what's your status?"

"Eagle One, on approach. We're about half a klick from the TLZ. Over."

"Eagle, be advised no activity. It's gonna get hot down there. Be prepared to move in." A group of A-10 Thunderbolts raced across the city in various straight-line patterns, dropping bombs that exploded with a fiery gel that engulfed the city. A helicopter touched down in the south of the city near the harbor. Several U.S. soldiers rushed off the aircraft, dressed in flame-retardant gear and gas masks. The soldiers rushed through the city, the sight of Mushroom People choking, burning and collapsing around them. Before long, they had reached Peach's Castle.

"Eagle One to Reaper, we are outside the target building. What do you see?" Above the city, a UAV was circling.

" _Eagle One, be advised. FLIR's picking up a lot of movement inside the target building. Do you want us to soften up the resistance?"_

"Negative, Reaper. We'll handle it from here. Eagle One, out." The lead soldier turned to another, as they moved toward the castle's front door. "Rorke, take point. Get a breaching charge on that door." Everyone stepped back as one of the soldiers planted a square device on the main door. He stepped back, holding a small remote in his hand.

"Breaching in 3!" A few seconds later, he pressed a button on the remote and the door exploded open. The soldiers rushed into the castle's foyer where several Mushroom soldiers waited, guns drawn. A firefight ensued and the Mushroom soldiers were down in no time.

"Team, move up." The soldiers split up and moved through the foyer, opening every door as they passed through. They worked their way up the central stairs to a large door with a star on it. "Hold up. I'm hearing a lot of movement behind the door." He pressed his finger to his earpiece. "Reaper, we're moving up to the second floor. What do you see?"

" _Eagle One, you've got multiple bogeys converging on the second floor."_

"Copy that, Reaper. Everyone fall back to the first floor." Eagle One said. The soldiers retreated down the stairs. "Reaper, commence fire on the target. Danger close."

" _Copy that, Eagle One. Danger close."_ The UAV launched a missile that struck the castle, blowing open the east wall on the second floor, as well as the foyer door. _"Eagle One, multiple confirmed KIAs. Clear to move up."_

"Copy, Reaper." Eagle One said. "Stand by. We may need more air support. Eagle One, out."

" _Copy all, Eagle One. Reaper standing by."_

The soldiers moved up the stairs and into the second floor hallway. The bodies of Mushroom soldiers were strewn about and there was a smoldering hole in the wall to their right. Before long, the soldiers had reached another star door, which had been damaged by the airstrike, and led to another staircase.

"Eagle One to Reaper, we're approaching the third floor stairwell. Status?"

" _Eagle One, we're seeing four heat signatures on the third floor. Should be an easy sweep."_

"Copy that, Reaper. Moving to eliminate." The soldiers pulled the door aside and began climbing the staircase. At the top was another star door. "Weapons ready. Let's make this quick and clean. 3… 2… 1… Go!" Eagle One kicked open the door and the soldiers stormed into a luxurious bedroom. In the room were two Mushroom soldiers and on the bed were Peach and Bowser. Peach looked at one of the soldiers.

"Do it." She said.

"Fungus Three to Albatoss One, initiate Fahr Protoc-" But his words were cut off as Eagle Team unleashed a hail of bullets that quickly took down both soldiers, as well as Peach and Bowser. Two of the soldiers moved in and examined the dead.

"Eagle Four to Command, kills confirmed. Repeat, the Mushroom Kingdom has fallen."

" _Copy your last, Eagle Four. Return to base."_

"Eagle One to Warhammer, we're en route to the LZ."

" _Negative, Eagle One. Primary LZ is too hot! Re-route to secondary LZ."_

"Copy, Warhammer. On our way. ETA 5 mikes." The soldiers began to rush through the castle.

" _Command to Eagle One, be advised. We're detecting a missile in the airspace near the Mushroom Kingdom. It appears to be targeting the castle. Suggest you double time it. ETA to impact: 2 minutes."_

"Copy your last, Command." Eagle One said. "Let's move boys!" The soldiers picked up the pace. As they exited the castle, a missile came crashing down in the center of the city, leveling most of what was still standing and unleashing a large mushroom cloud.

* * *

" _Frost struck Toad Town under the cover of nightfall. They would've been prepared, but Frost knew his enemies well. The bombing runs over the city buried the place in a layer of napalm and a cloud of Agent Orange. Frost knew that dropping a powerful herbicide on a city of fungus people would prove more than beneficial._

 _With their capital decimated and their people dying, Peach and Bowser let the soldiers storm the castle. Even before his re-election, the nations of the U.C.A. started preparing for potential assaults by Frost. And for that reason, the Mushroom Kingdom had a contingency plan for if their capital fell._

 _The Fahr Protocol. A last resort nuclear strike on their own capital. With their leaders all but dead, and their capital all but destroyed, the Mushroom Army made the choice to take the U.S. forces assaulting them down with them. The nuclear strike decimated any forces in and around the city._

 _And they weren't the only ones with a play to make…"_

* * *

" **Expendable"  
** **March 13, 2021 – 04:00  
** **Cpt. Clayton Garron  
** **Hylian Special Forces  
** **Moscow Suburbs, Russia**

A group of eight soldiers were gathered in a forest somewhere outside of Moscow. Not far from them was a large estate surrounded by a six-meter high wall. Patrolling the outside of the wall were four armed guards. Two guards stood at the main gate, and several patrolled the inside of the estate. Six of the soldiers had suppressed Scar-L assault rifles and silenced FN Five-sevens. One of the six also carried a Winchester Model 1897 shotgun. The final two had suppressed FN Five-sevens and suppressed Barrett M99 sniper rifles, and wore woodland camo ghillie suits.

"Alpha One to Shadow Command, do you copy?" Special Forces Captain Clayton Garron said into his comm.

" _Loud and clear, Alpha One."_ CJ's voice echoed from the other end. _"What's your status?"_

"Target building is in sight." Captain Garron said.

" _Copy. Remember, Alpha Team, this can't be traced back to us. If it does, there will be no avoiding World War III."_

"Copy, sir. What's the status of the guards within the estate?"

" _Alpha One, the HVT is the primary mission. Only use lethal force as a last resort. We have an AC-130 on standby about two klicks east. If this op goes south, we're levelling the estate."_

"Copy your last. Alpha One, out."

"Sir, what's the plan?" Alpha Three asked.

"HVT is the primary objective." Captain Garron said. "This can't be traced back to Hyrule."

"And the guards in the estate?" Alpha Five questioned.

"All hostiles within the walls are expendable. Do not let them interfere with the objective. Lethal force is authorized." Captain Garron said. "Alpha Four, Alpha Five, take up defensive positions and provide overwatch. Alpha Three and Seven, take point. Move up and take out the perimeter guards. Alpha Two, watch our flank. Six and Eight, stay with me."

As Captain Garron and his men began to advance toward the estate, Alpha Four and Five laid on the ground in the woods, blending with the forest around them.

"Alpha Seven, two o'clock." Alpha Three said. Alpha Seven pointed his rifle at the corner of the wall to his right and fired, taking out one of the guards.

"Alpha Three, watch your ten o'clock." Alpha Four said, as she fired a single shot from her sniper rifle, taking down a guard rounding the opposite corner. "You're clear."

"Alpha Three, Alpha Seven, move up and get those bodies away from the corners." Alpha Three and Seven rushed to the opposite corners of the wall and dragged the bodies away from the corners, out of sight of patrolling guards.

"Alpha One, guard approaching from the northeast." Alpha Five said.

"Another guard approaching from the northwest." Alpha Four said.

"Copy that." Captain Garron said. "Everyone stack up on Alpha Three and Alpha Seven. Alpha Four, Alpha Five, take out the patrolling guards when they get close."

"Copy." Alpha Four said. Within a few moments, the guards approached the wall where the soldiers waited. As they neared the corners, Alpha Four and Five each took a shot, taking out both guards.

"Hostile down." Alpha Five said.

"Move up, team. Three along each wall." Captain Garron said. "Alpha Seven, Three , take one wall. Alpha Six and Eight, on me." Alpha Seven and Captain Garron led the teams along the walls, stopping them as they reached one of the corners nearest the gate.

"Hold up. Two by the gate." Alpha Seven said. Captain Garron leaned beyond the corner. "Alpha Seven, we'll take them out on your go." Alpha Seven leaned out and aimed at one of the guards.

"Ready… Fire." Alpha Seven said, as he and Captain Garron took down the guards at the gate.

"Lots of hostiles in the estate." Captain Garron said. "Stack up and prepare to breach." Garron and Alpha Two moved up to where the guards stood. The rest of the team stood behind them. "Alpha Two, on your go."

Alpha Two leaned forward, peered through the grates of the gate. Seeing minimal guard activity, Alpha Two pushed open the gate.

"Two parked cars at our 10 and 2." Alpha Two said.

"Move up." Captain Garron said. "Use the cars as cover." The teams moved up, Garron's behind one car and Alpha Two's behind the other. "Alpha Four, we're approaching the target building. Do you have visual on the target?"

" _Negative, Alpha One."_

"Alpha One, two guards at the front door. Two coming from the sides of the building." Alpha Seven said.

"Alpha Seven, take the guard coming at our 10 o'clock." Garron said. "Alpha Three, take the guard at our 2 o'clock. Alpha Two, you and I will take the guards at the door. On your go, Alpha Two." As the guards patrolling the perimeter neared the door, Alpha Two took a shot. Alpha Seven, Three and Captain Garron followed suit. The guards outside dropped.

"Targets down." Alpha Seven said.

"Move up. Inside the house, before any more guards show up. Alpha Seven, take point." Garron said. The troops moved forward and lined up at the door, with Alpha Seven leading the way.

"Sir, ready to breach." Alpha Seven said.

"Standby." Garron said. "Alpha Four, Alpha Five, preparing to breach target building."

" _Alpha One, be advised, we have a visual on target. 2nd floor, east side."_ Alpha Five said. _"Shall I take the shot?"_

"Negative, Alpha Five." Garron said. "Maintain visual."

" _Copy, Alpha One."_

"Team, target is on the east side of the building, 2nd floor." Garron said. "Breach on your go, Alpha Seven." Alpha Seven turned the doorknob and opened the door. The team entered the building and found themselves in an elegant foyer. Ahead of them was a carpeted staircase leading to a long hallway that stretched to either end of the estate.

"Sir, the room is clear…" Alpha Seven said, a bit puzzled.

"They're not expecting us." Garron said. "Alpha Four, what do you see?"

" _Target is still in the easternmost room. Two guards are in the room with him."_ Alpha Four said.

"Move up, team." Garron said. "Target is in the easternmost room." The team moved up the stairwell and turned down the eastern hallway. Within a few moments, they were lined up at the door to the easternmost room. "Alpha Four, status?"

" _Still have visual on the target."_ Alpha Four said.

"Copy, Alpha Four. Preparing to breach." Garron said, pulling out his shotgun. He blasted off the hinges of the door and kicked the door open. Startled, the guards inside the room turned toward Alpha Team. Before they could react, Captain Garron took a shot at one of them, shredding the guard's abdomen and chest. Alpha Two pulled out his Scar-L and fired several shots at the second guard. The two guards dropped to the ground as Garron pulled out his pistol and aimed at the unarmed man in the room, who was standing near the window, not far from a fancy wooden desk. Sitting on the desk was a laptop. The man was bald with a gray mustache, and wore a pressed black suit.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" The man said with a noticeably thick Russian accent.

"Alpha Five, Alpha Four, Czar Dragon is down. Alpha Two and Seven were caught in the crossfire." Garron said.

"Captain, what are you…?" Alpha Two's words were cut off as Garron turned around and blasted him with his shotgun. He then quickly drew his pistol and fired several shots, bullets piercing the skulls of his team. Within moments, the team dropped. Outside, Alpha Four and Five watched as Garron turned on the team.

"His Majesty was right." Alpha Four said.

"Shit, I hoped he was wrong." Alpha Five said.

"Alpha Four to Shadow Command, we have confirmation on Black Viper. Repeat: we have confirmation on Black Viper."

" _Copy your last, Alpha Four."_ CJ responded. _"AC-130's en route. Alpha Four, Alpha Five, if you have visual on Czar Dragon or Black Viper, take the shot. You have less than 10 minutes to clear the estate. If you can't make it out in time, your service will be honored. Shadow Command, out."_

"I have a visual on Black Viper." Alpha Four said.

"I have a visual on Czar Dragon." Alpha Five replied.

"On your go." Four said. Both soldiers took the shot, dropping both Garron and the Russian President.

"Let's move." Alpha Five said, as the two stood up and gathered their gear, before taking off running.

"Alpha Four to Shadow Command, Czar Dragon and Black Viper are down. ETA to estate destruction?"

" _Alpha Four, ETA nine mikes. Exfil chopper's 3 klicks to the southwest."_ CJ responded.

"Copy all, Shadow Command." Alpha Four said. "We're en route." A short time later, an AC-130 circled the air above the estate. Several shots rang out and a hellfire of missiles rained down, leveling the estate. In the distance, a Black Hawk helicopter could be seen lifting out of the forest.

* * *

" _I had my suspicions going into the mission that Captain Garron was a double agent. Russia was trying to infiltrate the major nations of the U.C.A. and I had my fears that they had already succeeded. I wasn't fond of assassinating world leaders, but I knew President Ivanov was running the campaign to infiltrate Catalyst nations._

 _Captain Garron volunteered Alpha Team for the mission without thought. He was a Catalyst who had emigrated from Russia – a Lt. Colonel in the Russian Army, allegedly discharged once he was exposed as a Catalyst. Everything about it seemed too perfect – he was too eager. After confirming Alpha Team for the mission, I briefed Alpha Four and Alpha Five on my suspicions. I had handpicked them for the mission and knew they could be trusted._

 _I didn't want to be right in my suspicions. I wanted Alpha Team to get in, take out Ivanov, and get out clean. No trace back to Hyrule. Leveling the president's estate was a last resort. It left a little more cleanup than I wanted, but Alpha Four and Five got out._

 _In the months that followed, my intelligence found several Russian agents operating within their ranks, as did the other nations in the U.C.A. With the assassination of President Ivanov, Russia basically abandoned their agents, focusing solely on dealing with their people reeling from the death of their leader. It wasn't hard to sniff the agents out at that point. Some of them even tried crawling to the countries they were sabotaging, begging for any kind of help, not realizing that we were the cause of their problems._

 _Thankfully, no one found anything linking Hyrule to the attack on Ivanov's estate. And, someone else was about to paint a target on their back for it. An ally who was never quite the best of allies from the beginning…"_

* * *

" **Nightmare"  
** **October 17, 2021 – 13:27  
** **Chesapeake Bay, Virginia**

A large airship flew toward the U.S. East Coast. The nose of the airship was designed to look like a silver mask with a single slot across it. Attached to the back end of the ship were several large wings designed to look like bat wings. On the top and bottom of the ship were several cannons. Inside the cabin, situated in the nose, King Dedede argued with a small orange-brown creature with a single, large, round blue eye.

"Your Majesty, this doesn't seem right. This isn't even our ship." Stated the one-eyed creature, known as a Waddle Doo.

"Quiet! This man is a threat to my kingdom!"

" _Your Majesty, troops are amassing on the ground. We're detecting SAM sites all around."_

"Fire at will!" Dedede commanded. "We will not be stopped!" Several missiles fired from the ground, targeting the airship. As the airship cruised over the waters of Chesapeake Bay, Dedede's forces deployed flares to ward off the missiles, returning fire at the shores of the bay with their own strikes. Before long, Dedede's airship had reached the mouth of the Potomac and was following the river toward the nation's capital.

"Your Majesty! This is a terrible idea! We will be shot down before we can even reach the heart of the capital!" Protested Waddle Doo.

" _Your Majesty, we're approaching the city, but we're detecting more SAM sites. We won't be able to stay airborne for much longer. We either land on our own, or crash land."_

"If you have a clear shot at the White House, fire everything we've got!" Dedede commanded. The ship was rocked by missile fire.

" _Targeting is down, sire! We've been hit!"_

"Engine 1 is down! We're losing altitude!" Waddle Doo shouted.

"Fire what we've got! Don't worry about the targeting! We'll hit what we hit!" Dedede ordered.

" _Payload 1 away."_ The ship was rocked by more missile fire.

"Engine 2 is down!" Waddle Doo's voice quivered. As the ship began to descend faster, several missiles launched in various directions. In the distance, an explosion rocked both the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

" _Payload 2 away."_ The ship was rocked by one last volley of missile fire, as their own armaments crashed into several residential districts north of the White House.

"All engines are down! We're going down!" Waddle Doo strapped himself into a nearby seat. Dedede looked ahead and only laughed maniacally. The ship began to descend rapidly, ultimate crashing into the south wall of the White House, as the Washington Monument toppled in the distance. Within moments of the crash, U.S. soldiers had swarmed the ship.

"Go go go! Take no prisoners!" One of the soldiers planted an explosive on the side of the ship, blowing a hole in the wall. The soldiers stormed in, several splitting off to the weapons control room, the others rushing to the cabin, shooting anyone in their way. As the first group of soldiers stormed the weapons room, the others kicked down the door to the cabin. As they entered, weapons raised, they saw Waddle Doo standing there, tiny cylindrical arms raised up.

"Please! Don't shoot! I don't want to die today!" Waddle Doo pleaded.

"You don't have to!" King Dedede said, as he rushed the soldiers, holding a giant hammer. The soldiers unleashed a volley of gunfire and both Dedede and Waddle Doo dropped.

"King Dedede is down." One of the soldiers said into his comm.

" _Good. Prepare the counter-attack."_

* * *

" _Two things about Dedede's assault still baffle me._

 _One: How he managed to steal the Halberd from MetaKnight and his crew. And two: Why he chose to announce his attack ahead of time, and storm the city in broad daylight. The Halberd was more than equipped to likely level D.C._

 _In the days that followed, we got word from Dream Land that MetaKnight, Captain Vul and the rest of the Halberd's commanding officers were safe. But the men onboard the ship when it crash landed into the White House were MetaKnight's men, not Dedede's._

 _By the time the Halberd had reached D.C., Frost was miles from even the outskirts of the city. Chances are Marine One was in the sky before Dedede even left Dream Land._

 _All Dedede had done was doom Dream Land._

 _The White House released a statement quickly after the attack, claiming that Dream Land was counter-attacking for the strike on the Mushroom Kingdom. An attack that Frost defended by saying the Mushroom Kingdom was responsible for the attacks on U.S. infrastructure. He also pinned the assassination of Russian President Ivanov on Dream Land. Little by little, the United Catalyst Alliance was crumbling, and I knew I would have to make a play sooner rather than later."_

* * *

 **October 20, 2021 – 15:30  
** **Dream Land**

"They may have taken down King Dedede, but they'll never occupy Dream Land!" Various creatures were locked in firefights with U.S. soldiers: Waddle Doos, strange blob like creatures known as Cappys, human soldiers wearing gray jumpsuits and black vests, and anthropomorphic dogs in blue jumpsuits. The human soldiers had patches on their jumpsuits that were marked only with a circle of stars and the letter "G". F-16s flew through the air, along with single-thrustered white fighter jets with red noses, and quad-winged silver jets. The F-16s were engaged in combat with the other two types of jets.

"Vulture Ten to base, we're encountering heavy resistance from civilians' militias in addition to two outside military parties!" One of the fighter F-16 pilots radioed.

" _Vulture Ten, repeat!"_

"Command, we have encountered additional enemy combatants! It's not just Dream Land civilians! There are two organized military forces!"

" _Vulture Ten, can you identify the additional forces?"_

"Command, it appears to be G.U.N. forces and the Cornerian Defense Fleet."

" _Copy your last, Vulture Ten. We'll handle it."_

* * *

" _Following Dedede's assault on D.C., Corneria and the United Federation sent troops to Dream Land to prepare for the inevitable attack from the U.S. military. But they also opened their own countries up to attacks…"_

* * *

" **Euthanized"  
** **November 11, 2021 – 07:45  
** **Corneria City**

F-16s raced over Corneria City, locked in air combat with CDF pilots, providing cover for a Black Hawk helicopter landing on the outskirts of the city. As the chopper landed, several soldiers stepped out onto the grassy fields on the outer edge of the city.

"Metal Zero-One to Overlord, come in."

" _Metal Zero-One, what's your status?"_

"Overlord, we are on the ground. Status on the targets?"

" _Targets are in the center of the city, in the Defense Fleet Command Compound, coordinating the efforts in the sky and in Dream Land."_

"Copy, Overlord." Metal Zero-One said. He turned to his team. "All right, team. We need to fight our way the Command Compound in the center of the city. Targets are bunkered down there, leading the fight here and in Dream Land." Metal Team raced through the city, engaging with dog soldiers as they made their way to Defense Fleet Command.

"Enemy combatants, 10 o'clock!" Metal Zero-Three shouted. Metal Team took cover behind a nearby ruined tank as a group of dog soldiers emerged from behind a nearby building. Metal Team popped up and engaged with the dog soldiers.

"Clear! Move up!" Metal Zero-One said. The team rushed forward, engaging with more dog soldiers as they did. Before long, they neared a large building, guarded by a pair of dog soldiers.

"Target building! 12 o'clock!" Metal Zero-Two said.

"Walker, we'll take them out on my mark." Metal Zero-One said. He took the shot, and Metal Zero-Two quickly followed suit, dropping the soldiers at the door. "Clear. Move up." The team rushed to the door of the building and lined up. "Mason, get ready to breach." Metal Zero-Four got to the front of the formation.

"Breaching!" Mason exclaimed, kicking in the door. The team stormed in to a surprisingly empty lobby. "Clear. Sandman, sir, where is everyone?"

"Metal Zero-One to Overlord, target building is empty. Can you confirm HVTs are still in the building?"

" _Affirmative, Metal Zero-One. Intel reports that HVTs are on the third floor, center of the building. They re-routed all personnel to the ground and air fights. Only a small number of soldiers are around the room where the HVTs are."_

"Copy, Overlord. Moving to secure." Sandman said. "All right, team. Targets are on the third floor, center of the building. Small defense force in and around the room with them. Let's move up. Mitchell, take point. Reyes, watch our flank."

"Yes, sir." Metal Zero-Three said.

"Sir, yes sir." Metal Zero-Five said. Mitchell led the team up the stairs to the third floor. The hallway in the third floor was a square corridor surrounding a single room. In front of Metal Team was a wall.

"Walker, Mason, move to the sides and take out any guards in the hallway." Walker and Mason moved to opposite sides of the hall, scanning around the corners. Walker fired several shots.

"Clear." Walker said.

"Clear." Mason said.

"Do either of you have visual on an entry?" Sandman asked.

"Affirmative, sir." Mason replied.

"Everyone, move up. On Mason." The team moved around the corner, lining up at the door to the room. "Mitchell, get ready to breach." Mitchell stood in front of the door and pulled out a shotgun. "Go." He blasted the door hinges and kicked down the door. Inside the room were three dog soldiers, as well as a bloodhound in a red military uniform and a Doberman in a black suit.

"Cornerian Defense Fleet, the United States has breached Command." The Bloodhound said over the comms. "Foxtrot One, you're in command. Pepper out." No sooner than he had finished, a firefight ensued and the dog soldiers, as well as the bloodhound and Doberman, were down.

"Metal Zero-One to Overlord, kills confirmed."

" _Good work, Metal Zero-One."_

* * *

" _The United States sent an elite Delta Force squadron into Corneria City. General Pepper and Prime Minister Boxer didn't stand a chance. Metal Team made swift work of the Cornerian leaders. One by one, our allies were being picked off._

 _The White House's official statement was that Cornerian forces were attacking U.S. forces in Dream Land. The White House claimed that the U.S. was trying to aid Dream Land in 'establishing a democratic society following the execution of a tyrannical dictator'. Their people may have bought the bullshit, but I knew better. Dedede saw Frost as a threat, just as the rest of us did, and tried to take him out alone. Frost counter-attacked with the typical military force of the United States. It didn't matter that it was a Catalyst nation at that point._

 _U.S. troops were now on the ground in Dream Land and Corneria. And Frost had deployed new troops into the Mushroom Kingdom following the Fahr Protocol. World War III was no longer on the horizon. We were living it."_

* * *

 **November 14, 2021 – 11:18  
** **Central City, United Federation**

"Shit! We're going down!"

A U.S. helicopter flying over Central City ricocheted off two skyscrapers and crashed to the street below. Before long, an Army soldier climbed out of the cockpit and slid open the side door. Inside we two more soldiers, slowly regaining consciousness.

"Clark! Greggs! Look alive." Army Sgt. John Simmons handed an assault rifle to the other two. "We're going to have to leg it. The city's subways run close to the president's complex. If we move quickly, we can get there." The three U.S. soldiers rushed down the road they crash landed on. As they moved down the street, G.U.N. soldiers began to emerge from the alleys and buildings.

"Don't let them advance! They can't reach the President!" One of the G.U.N. soldiers exclaimed.

"Take cover!" Simmons called out, as the Army soldiers ducked behind nearby stalled out cars. Occasionally, they would pop out and take a few shots at the G.U.N. soldiers. Before long, several of the soldiers had dropped. "Move up, team! I see the subway entrance!" Simmons led his team to the subway entrance. As they ran down the stairs, a message came out over their comms.

" _To anyone on this channel, this is Sentinel Team. We're pinned down 3 klicks southeast of the president's complex. Request immediate evac!"_

"Sentinel, this is Gulf Team. We're moving through the subway en route to the president's complex. What is your location?" Simmons responded.

" _Gulf Team, we're half a klick east of the Mission Street subway stop. We've encountered heavy resistance!"_

"Copy that, Sentinel." Simmons said. "We're en route." As they moved through, they began to hear more communications.

" _This is Bravo Six. We're pinned down east of the president's complex! Bravo Two and Four are critical! Requesting immediate exfil!"_

" _Delta Three to Overlord, the Federation detonated some kind of explosive. Knocked all our birds out of the sky. Federation forces have us pinned down in the south of the city, 5 klicks west of the highway."_

" _If you can hear this, this is Indigo Team, we've reached the president's complex, but we're encountering heavy resistance. Anyone nearby, respond! We won't be able to hold out much longer!"_

"Indigo Team, this Gulf Three-One." Simmons said. "We're in the subway tunnels. Once we RV with Sentinel, we'll be one our way to your location."

" _Double time it, Gulf Three-One. We can't hold out for long."_

"Let's move, boys." Simmons said, as they neared a stairwell. "Market Street." He scanned a map. "Shit, three more stops. Let's double time it."

" _Gulf Team, this is Sentinel Two-One. What's your status?"_

"Standby, Sentinel Two-One. We're still en route."

" _All callsigns, be advised. Federation G.U.N. forces are holding strong. Intel reports that the president is still within the city, but is preparing to evacuate. We're initiating the Manticore Protocol. Thank you for your service."_

"Shit." Clark said.

"They're cutting their losses." Greggs said.

"It's been an honor serving with you boys." Simmons said.

* * *

" _The Manticore Protocol. The U.S. was taking down President Grey and the United Federation, no matter the cost. With their forces on the brink of destruction and Grey's potential evacuation, the U.S. made the choice to initiate a nuclear strike on the city._

 _A naval ship just off the coast of the United Federation launched a missile that detonated over the city within minutes. Central City was decimated, and President Grey was presumed dead. The White House's official statement was that the Federation was developing orbital weaponry. Another level of bullshit on Frost's multi-tiered cake of chaos._

 _The war raged on for another 2 years. The U.S. ultimately dropped troops in the U.K., Germany and France, after the European nations dropped troops to aid Dream Land and the United Federation, who both continued to fight U.S. occupation following the executions of Dedede and President Grey._

 _After Frost pinned the Ivanov assassination on King Dedede, Russia dropped their own troops in Dream Land. Before long, the U.S. worked on occupation of the Poke Union, despite their lack of involvement in the conflict. Even though they lacked a formal military, the Champions League and the Gym Leaders of the various regions stepped up against the military, striking the force of weaponry with the force of mystical creatures._

 _I knew they would move into Hyrule sooner or later. I was done building my defenses. I had watched President Frost kill my friends and allies._


	3. Act III

Act III

" **Hellfire"  
** **January 29, 2024 – 13:52  
** **Hyrule Castle Town**

CJ walked into the bunker below Hyrule Castle.

"Sir, Kalos has fallen. The Russians captured and presumably executed Diantha."

"Shit. So only Lance stands. Kanto and Johto are the last bastions of the Poke Union." CJ sighed.

"What do we do?" Shaylene asked. CJ pondered for a moment.

"I want to do the same thing we did to the Capitol, but bigger." He said. "But no voice modulation. I want my face on every screen in the United States. Secure channels, unsecure channels. Let's make it happen. Let's strike fear into the hearts of the people. It's time they face the monster they elected 7 years ago. And it's time the United States of America pays for Peach, Bowser, Dayan, Danielle, Pepper and all the other lives they took. It's time they pay for the ADA, Frost and everything they've done to Catalysts."

* * *

" _I had a message for the United States. One I was delivering not just by speech, but by action as well."_

* * *

In the White House, President Frost was speaking with several of his advisors and army generals in a bunker-like room.

"Sir, Congress wants to know when we're withdrawing troops from the UCA."

"Tell those millennial crybabies to shove it!" Frost snapped. "They don't understand the importance of this war!" Suddenly, an image of CJ appeared on the computer screens around the room, as well as the large screen on the back wall.

"The skies have darkened, the thunder is rumbling and the fire will soon fall. And it is by your hand, America. By your hand, you have set the earth ablaze."

"What is this?" Frost questioned. "Get rid of it!"

"I can't sir. It's broadcasting all over the country… TV, radio, even secure channels. He's broken every firewall we have."

"What?! How is that possible?"

"…You could've stopped this, America. You could've prevented this. But you chose not to. You were too blinded by your division and your hatred that you could not see the evils in front of you. Or maybe you didn't care. Maybe you wanted this. You had the chance, the voice, the power to prevent this, but you let it happen. And you have no one to blame but yourself." CJ continued.

"How is he doing this?" Frost asked.

"I stand at the helm of a great nation. A prosperous kingdom that has seen many days of destruction, sorrow and despair. But even that great evil, the very incarnation of the Demon King himself, does not stand up to what this kingdom faces today. For 8 years, my people have feared for their safety – feared the man known as President Nicholas Frost. For 2 years, my people have watched their allies fall, and nervously awaited the day that the United States Military storms our cities. For 2 years, my people and my military have waited for me to choose to fight back. And I have tried my hardest not to make that choice. I have fought it for as long as I possibly could. And now, I stand here, ready to make a choice that I don't want to make… for the good of Hyrule, Catalysts and the world around us. I only pray that when all is said and done… when I fall, be it from the graying of my hairs or the blade of my enemies… that the great golden goddesses have mercy on my soul. And the souls of my Queen and child."

Not far from the White House, CJ, Shaylene and Stacey stood outside the U.S. Capitol building, their phones synced with the broadcast playing around the nation. The people walking the grounds were stopped, staring at their screens. Some took a moment to look up and realize that the Sages were standing on the Capitol steps. Inside, Congress listened to the speech echo through the sound system normally used for speeches given inside the room.

Inside the White House, President Frost watched intently as CJ's speech began to wrap up.

"Sir… This isn't live."

"What do you mean?" Frost questioned.

"Under my authority as the King of Hyrule, I hereby declare war upon the United States of America, and upon President Frost and his Congress." As the speech concluded, an explosion rocked D.C. and a ball of fire rose up from the Capitol building.

On the Capitol grounds, CJ stood admiring the destruction. He pulled out his cell phone and began to record the building burning and crumbling, before turning the camera to himself as the video broadcast across the nation.

"I warned you, Frost. Inside this very building." CJ said. "I warned you that my bite carries more pain. Your Congress is dead. Your Capitol is burning. I released the names of your intelligence operatives. _I_ ordered the hack on your power grids, government websites and your infrastructure. Everything that you blamed on the other nations of the United Catalyst Alliance… all committed by Hyrule. You left fire and destruction in your wake. Killed thousands of innocent people because of your personal hatred of Catalysts. You made the wrong enemy, and you _will_ pay dearly." The video cut and those on the Capitol grounds watched in shock as the Sages vanished in a flash of green light.

"Bio-Terrorists just destroyed the Capitol! How are we supposed to be safe from them if they can get at Congress so easily?!"

* * *

" _While the attack on D.C. certainly wasn't a deed I'm proud of, it worked. Fear was running across the United States. But I had done more than that. I had divided the nation. More than it was already divided. Much of the country began to blame Frost, his supporters and his campaign funders. They accused him of being the cause of the war – blamed him for attacking Catalysts first._

 _Back home, we prepared for Frost's counter-attack. I put a target on my back. Painted myself, not my kingdom, as the sole problem plaguing the United States. And in Frost's eyes, maybe even the world. But it worked. As I expected, he took the bait. No nuclear strike, no bombing under the cover of nightfall. No, the United States dropped troops on my soil. They're storming the streets of my capital as I speak, and if I'm lucky, Frost will come for me personally…"_

* * *

" **Endgame"  
** **April 8, 2024 – 04:27  
** **Hyrule Castle Town**

Groups of U.S. soldiers stormed down the cobblestone streets of Castle Town. Blocking the streets to the town square, and the castle beyond it, were Hyrulean soldiers. Atop the roofs of the city were Hyrulean snipers, covered in blankets camouflaging them to match the roofs they were laying on.

"Echo Leader to Alpha Leader, status on the principals?" One of the soldiers atop the roof questioned into a mic, his rifle trained on an enemy squad leader.

" _Principals are secure in the throne room."_ A voice responded from the other end. _"Status on the forces?"_

"We've got Frost Corporation mercenaries to the east, U.S. Army to the west and U.S. Marines to the south." Echo Leader stated, firing his rifle and taking down a squad leader. "Bravo, Charlie and Delta teams are fighting in the streets. Echo Team is on the roofs of the square providing sniper support. We'll hold them off as long as we can, but be prepared to evac the principals to Fire Base Loftwing."

In the north of town, the Sages stood in the castle's throne room. Gunfire and explosions echoed through the city.

"Be ready for anything, everyone." CJ said, snapping his fingers. Shadow energy gathered into his hand, forming into a long staff. Atop the staff was a golden, upside-down triangular piece with a purple stone set on each side.

"Are we really sure this is what we want to do?" Alex questioned, as a stone spear formed in his left hand.

"It's too late to be asking that now." Jennette said, summoning a pair of semi-transparent doppelgangers. "We're at war. There are U.S. soldiers storming our streets."

"We're at war with our old home." Aubrey said, reaching behind her and drawing a sword. The blade gave off a light green glow.

"War was the last thing I wanted." CJ said. "But Frost forced my hand. Attacking the other nations, killing their leaders. I couldn't sit by any longer. If I thought it was possible, I would've kicked down the door to the Oval Office and planted a bullet in his skull."

"Important question." Shaylene said, as light energy gathered in her hand to form a golden bow and quiver. "Is the throne room really the safest place for us?"

"No." CJ said. "We should be somewhere far away, protected from all of this. But we're Sages. We're bound by the goddesses to protect this kingdom from those who threaten it. And that's what I plan to do. Even if it takes every last breath I have." An explosion rocked the east wall of the throne room and soldiers began to rappel in. They drew their weapons and took aim at the Sages, but before anyone could react, CJ unleashed a wave of energy that sent most of the soldiers out through the hole they created.

" _U.S. soldiers have breached the castle perim- Aahh!"_ A warning was cut short through the earpiece of the soldiers in the room as gunfire echoed through the castle halls.

"Your Majesty! They're converging on all sides!" One of the castle guards called out, unleashing a hail of gunfire on the remaining U.S. soldiers in the room. Another explosion blew apart the doors of the throne room, crushing the guards under rubble as soldiers stormed in from the south. Yet another explosion rocked the castle from an unknown location. As the soldiers unleashed a bullet storm, Alex put up a shield of stone, protecting the Sages from the gunfire.

"We can't hide under this forever." Alex said, focusing the entirety of his magic on the shield. "How are seven of us supposed to fight off two military branches and a private military corporation?"

"Simple." CJ said. "We have something that they don't… Magic. On my go, give us an opening. Once you have a shot, Janelle, hit 'em with all you've got." Janelle nodded. CJ's body gave off a brief white glow and Alex dropped the shield. As he did, Janelle unleashed a wall of fire that rushed out in all directions, scorching the soldiers. Cries of pain silenced suddenly as the color drained from the throne room, and for a moment, everything seemed to stop. Almost as suddenly as it had happened, color returned and the soldiers all dropped to the ground, many of them burned beyond recognition. A Hyrulean guard burst through a secret door in the north wall of the throne room.

"Your Majesty! Your Highness! They've breached the nursery!" He exclaimed. "The Princess is- Fucking shit!" A bullet sliced through his leg and he dropped to his knees. "The Princess is dead." Several more soldiers blasted through the north wall, debris and rubble striking the already wounded guard.

"You bastards!" A wave of energy ripped from CJ's body, sending cracks up the wall, shattering the remaining windows and propelling soldiers into what remained of the walls of the throne room. The other Sages stumbled, shaken by the force of their friend's rage. Several more soldiers rappelled in from both sides of the throne room as an explosion blew open the west wall. Without hesitation, CJ unleashed a volley of magic strikes, blasting soldiers out through the holes in the walls. An aura of chaotic energy surrounded him and more soldiers marched through the south doors. As they entered the room, lightning arced through their bodies, creating a chain of lightning between the soldiers.

"That's for my baby girl, you fuckers!" Shaylene swore. Seizing the opportunity, CJ rushed forward and drove his spear through the neck of one of the soldiers.

"Enough! This ends here!" A new but familiar voice shouted. Another explosion rocked the throne room and rubble from the ceiling collapsed on top of the Sages. As CJ began to fade in and out of consciousness, he could vaguely make out soldiers pulling the rubble off his friends. Just before he blacked out, he watched what appeared to be asoldier snap his staff in half.

* * *

 **April 8, 2024 – 15:17  
** **Unknown Location**

When CJ came to, he found himself chained to a post. His vision blurry and his head pounding, he was barely able to identify the fuzzy images of his friends, tied to posts as well. Still fading in and out of consciousness, he began to see a garage in front of him, and sharp cliffs leading out into the blue sky to his left and right. In front of him, he thought he could make out the blurry image of a human with fiery red hair.

"Lilith…?" He questioned groggily. The force of a pistol grip striking his face shocked him out of his daze. He now found himself atop a familiar set of stairs. In the distance was a broken half of a white obelisk, and beyond that was a city in flames. Directly in front of him were several U.S. soldiers, Frost Corporation mercenaries, and President Frost himself, who lacked both the feminine figure and fiery red hair of Pandora's Lilith the Siren.

"The King awakes…" Frost smirked. "Welcome to D.C. Allow me to show you the hospitality we give to terrorists such as yourself. Look at what you've done. You murdered my Congress and undermined my authority. The American people have started to destroy their own country. But don't you worry. I promise I'll let you watch the execution of your wife and friends before we kill you." CJ laughed.

"You think these restraints are enough to hold us?" He asked, his hands giving off a purple glow.

"Given the circumstances, I'd think you'd be smart enough not to try escaping." Frost said. "Look around you. You're vastly outnumbered." CJ scanned his surroundings. Soldiers were strategically scattered around the Capitol grounds. He could faintly make out what he assumed to be snipers atop the nearby buildings. He glanced up at the sky and saw that the sun was only a small crescent of light enveloped by an orb of darkness.

"You underestimate our abilities." CJ said. "And my willingness to put my life on the line for what I believe in." The sun became but a simple ring of light as CJ snapped his restraints. Every soldier aimed at him and the sound of sniper fire echoed across the National Mall. He smirked, as his body gave off the same white glow as before, the color draining from everything, with the exception of the Sages and President Frost.

"What have you done?" Frost questioned.

"Like I said…" CJ said, smirking as he pointed to the sky. "You underestimate our abilities." One by one, the other Sages snapped their restraints. CJ stepped forward, flicking away bullets frozen in time as he used his abilities to restrain President Frost.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?"

"No. There's been too much bloodshed already." CJ said. "Not that you don't deserve it. I just want to know why."

"Caleb Arlington, that's why."

"Is that name supposed to mean something to us?" Alex inquired.

"Who is Caleb Arlington?" Stacey asked.

"One of the federal agents that your ex-fiancé killed in cold blood back in New York. While he tried to break you three out of a holding cell." Frost looked at Stacey, Shaylene and Aubrey. "He was also my son-in-law."

"All of these attacks on Catalysts? The bombings? The deaths? The war? This was all some fucking vengeance scheme?!" CJ's Triforce of Power began to resonate as a dark aura surrounded him. "Because of your _son-in-law_?"

"Not just Caleb." Frost said. "All of those agents. They were sons, brothers, cousins. Even husbands and fathers. Children out there are now without their fathers because of you. How is your father by the way? Still dead?" Enraged, CJ gripped Frost's throat and the aura began to surround both of them.

"I take back what I said." CJ snapped, a dark tone present in his voice. "What's a little more blood going to- Fuck!" A searing pain shot through CJ's arm and his grip on President Frost loosened. A chain of light wrapped around his arms, binding him and another one pulled him to the ground, binding his feet. Everyone watched in amazement as the Triforce appeared in physical form, behind a still bound Frost, now restrained by light energy. First, the Triforce of Courage appeared, then the Triforce of Power, and finally the Triforce of Wisdom. Shaylene stood to the right of everyone, a golden bow in her hand.

"Shaylene, what are you doing?" Jennette questioned. Shaylene stepped forward and stood in front of the Triforce.

"Fixing things." Shaylene said. She looked at CJ. "Look at you. You almost used your powers to execute the United States President. You've left a pile of bodies in your path ever since the N-Sphere detonated. I've tried to defend you, I've tried to justify it. But I just can't anymore…"

CJ interrupted her. "I did what I needed to in order to keep us all safe. In order to keep _you_ safe."

"What you needed to?" Shaylene snapped. "No. You did what the darkness drove you to do. Those federal agents, Congress, even Derek. None of them deserved to die. None of them _needed_ to die."

"But Shay…" CJ began to protest, before Shaylene silence him.

"Save it." She said. "I miss my best friend. My _old_ best friend. Before all the magic. I miss the guy I used to go swimming with. The guy Jennette and I used to play manhunt with, who would always hide with me. The guy who was always willing to play with me when no one else would. I miss the friend who was like an older brother to me when I was growing up. Most of all, I miss my _husband._ He's been replaced by some cold-hearted king who's not afraid to murder to keep his throne. I'll use the Triforce to fix all of this. No more powers, no more war, no more fighting. I'll restore the lives lost and bring our lives back to before the N-Sphere activated. I'll stop it from being activated."

"I tried that." CJ said. "And look where it got us."

"Fine." Shaylene said. "I'll stop it from ever being created."

"That won't work." A new voice said. A silver aura appeared, slowly taking on a human form. Before the Sages soon stood a disheveled, gruff-looking older man with brown hair, icy blue eyes and scruffy facial hair.

"What do you mean it won't work?" Shaylene asked. "Just who are you?"

"I never thought I'd get to see those beautiful emerald eyes again. Oh how I've missed those." The man said, looking at Shaylene. With a wave of his hand, CJ was free and Shaylene was bound by ropes of darkness.

"…Captain N." Shaylene gasped.

"I bet you didn't expect _this_ future." CJ said.

"I couldn't." Captain N said. "I could not glimpse the future. I saw scattered events, across many timelines. Like scattered leaves on a lake. I knew not how they connected or what created their realities. I could only hope that by arming my younger self with powers, and the knowledge of _my_ future, I could save our kind." With a wave of his hand, color returned to the Capitol Grounds and time resumed in D.C.

"Shit…" CJ said.

"Phoenix is in trouble. Repeat, Phoenix is in trouble." A Secret Service agent said into his earpiece.

"Everyone! Get down!" CJ exclaimed. A gunshot rang out and he was amazed as the bullet harmlessly bounced off a shield of dark energy.

"You're going to free me, right?" Shaylene asked.

"No." Captain N said, as another bullet bounced off the shield. "Because preventing the N-Sphere's creation won't prevent any of this."

"We're only in the mess because of the N-Sphere." CJ said.

"But you're not." Captain N argued. "Our powers still naturally develop. Let me ask. How has life progressed? How many times have you faced me and killed me?"

"Twice." CJ said.

"So this is our third meeting. And how many times has life presented you with the threat of losing Stacey, Shaylene or both?"

"Four." CJ said.

"So, no matter how often you escape, life keeps bringing you back to this same situation." Another bullet bounced off the shield. "I grow tired of this nonsense." With a wave of his hand, time froze once again, with only Captain N and the Sages free from its effects.

"So… How do you propose we stop- The Vault of the Destroyer!" CJ realized. "We need to stop the opening of the Vault of the Destroyer!"

"No. You need to stop the Eridian arrival on Earth." Captain N said. "These powers developed because the Eridians came to our planet and mixed their own genetic material with that of humans."

"But if we stop the Vault from being opened, the effects of it will never increase the growth of Eridium on Pandora _or_ Earth." CJ said. "Not only will our powers never develop, but Jack won't have a reason to terrorize Pandora."

"Impossible." Captain N said. "The seven of you against Atlas, Hyperion _and_ Dahl? You'll die. And that certainly won't solve your problem of preventing the deaths of your friends, now will it? Besides, Jack was the one who lead the original Vault Hunters to the Vault of the Destroyer, remember? Stopping the opening won't stop him. Those seeds were planted before Marcus even dropped Roland and the others in Fyrestone. Before they even landed on Pandora for that matter. Preventing the Eridians from leaving their mark on Earth is your only solution."

"If you're so sure of all this, why didn't _you_ just go back in time and stop the Eridians?" Jennette asked.

CJ stepped forward toward the Triforce. "It doesn't matter. _I'll_ go back in time and stop them. I'll fix this right now. I'll undo the Eridians, the Eridium and the powers."

"That's not all." Captain N said. "You'll undo Hyrule, the Mushroom Kingdom, and the other Catalyst realms."

"…And I'll undo all the video games they come from. Pandora and Borderlands too…" CJ realized.

"You wish away the Eridian influence on Earth and you wish away the existence of all your favorite video games. No Eridian DNA means that those game designers won't see across space to those planes of existence. Those games will never be developed, designed or even conceptualized. _That_ is why I didn't go back and stop the Eridians."

"You put humanity through all this pain because of your own selfish desires?" Janelle questioned. "When did you become so heartless?"

"I wanted to keep my powers. I was selfish in that aspect." Captain N said. "I won't deny that. But I wanted a way for humanity to co-exist with our kind. I wanted their world to co-exist with our many worlds."

"If we have to give up a few games to ensure that we live safe, powerless lives, then I say it's worth it." Aubrey said. "Besides, we won't remember they ever existed anyway, right?"

"She's right." Shaylene said. "Your stories. The other times you've changed the course of our lives with the Triforce, the events of that branch of our lives were wiped from our memories because we never actually lived them. But you chose to retain those memories. You don't have to do that. You can lose the memories as well. If these games don't exist in our new lives, but we have no knowledge of our old lives, there won't be anything to miss."

"Nothing in that life is guaranteed." Captain N said. "Outside of not having powers. Think about what connects all of you."

"We've been friends for years." CJ said. "That's what connects us."

"But those friendships were strengthened and forged by those games. CJ, we met Alex, Aubrey and even Dayan and Danielle in high school, but mutual interest in games were what allowed us to bond." Captain N said. "We met Stacey because of Mat, who we became friends with because of Legend of Zelda. And we met Janelle through Stacey."

"But Shay and Jennette moved in next door." CJ said.

"And what was one way that we bonded? Video games." Captain N said.

"But that wasn't anywhere close to the basis of our friendship." CJ argued. "We did so much more together. Games were probably the thing we did together the least."

"You have no idea where this life will take you." Captain N said. "No idea which of you will meet each other again. You can't even be sure that you'll all live up to this point in your new powerless life. Are you willing to risk the intertwining webs of your lives on the mere chance that eight people you may never cross paths with again will live?"

* * *

" _Ever since I was first introduced to video games, I've wanted one thing… To be able to visit, or even live in, my favorite fictional worlds. As a high schooler, writing fan fiction was my way to do that. And Captain N is right. That fan fiction writing, those games, are what led me to the friendship that led me to Stacey. Chance led me to Shaylene. But even our friendship was strengthened by those games._

 _When the N-Sphere first detonated, I was ecstatic to learn that the creatures from those worlds had come to life… That my powers from my stories had become a reality. When I travelled through time and caused the N-Sphere's second activation, I was overjoyed when those worlds became a reality. And became one with my boring human life._

 _Even with all the danger that presented itself… The Stalkers, the Threshers, Handsome Jack, our near execution by the Crimson Raiders, and the threat of never going home… travelling to Pandora was such an exciting adventure._

 _Running the Amazing Race was a dream come true. Running it around the Mushroom Kingdom, Hyrule, Earth and Pandora was even better. And running it with Shaylene by my side… Nothing could've been more perfect. It was like every dream I've had, asleep or awake, was packed into a single adventure._

 _Having these adventures with my friends… Having these powers and superhuman abilities… Falling in love with and marrying Shaylene… These have been some of the best times of my life._

 _Captain N is right… I'm right… Am I really willing to throw all this away and lose all of these memories so my friends have a chance to live? Knowing that as soon as I make this wish, I may never see them again? Knowing that I won't remember any of this, and I may not even have the joy of knowing that they're alive and well?_

 _Am I being selfish for not wanting to give this up? For not wanting to give them up? I've made life-altering decisions before. Life-altering wishes on the Triforce before. But I've always come out of it with Shaylene, Stacey and the rest of my friends by my side._

 _This might be the toughest choice I've had to make…_

* * *

"He's right…" CJ said, as the sun's rays began to brighten. "I… I can't chance it. I can't risk losing all of our friendships, all of our memories… just to prevent something that might still happen. There has to be another way."

"I'm willing to risk it." Shaylene said, as she broke free of the dark restraints holding her and used bindings of light to restrain the other Sages. She looked at CJ. "I can't stand the person you've become. Your heart has been blackened. You've committed so many horrible acts. Not only is there a path of bodies in this past, but your others as well. Transcending the wishes you've made on the Triforce and the things you've done. In another life, another reality, you…" Her eyes began to water. "…You orphaned me." Everyone gasped.

"He _what_?" Jennette snapped.

"He killed Mom and Dad… And Steven." Shaylene said. She looked at CJ. "And even though you wished us out of Hyrule with the Triforce, even though you wished our lives back to normal… You still did it."

"I thought you forgave me for that…"

"I did. Because you surrendered everything you wanted to give me a better life. You surrendered magic, Hyrule… You wished for a powerless life on Earth. A life where I had my parents and brother back. But it didn't stay that way. Some sick twist of fate brought those powers back to us. It brought Hyrule back to us. And it brought those memories back to me. But worst of all, it brought that version of you back. You may have written yourself as a good guy in your stories. But these powers changed all that. When they became reality, so did Demise's curse."

"Don't say that."

" _You_ are the current incarnation of Demise's hatred and malice. You are the current Ganon. You're… evil."

"Shay… Please don't do this." CJ pleaded.

"There's no other choice." A tear streamed down Shaylene's cheek. "Maybe without me in your life and without these powers, things will turn out for the better. Maybe _you'll_ turn out for the better." She reached for the Triforce and it began to glow.

"Shay, please! I don't want to lose you!" Suddenly, the Triforce began to shine with a great light, blinding the Sages. The Sages froze in time, and Shaylene found herself floating in a white void.

"Where… where am I?" She wondered. Her hand became overwhelmed with a burning sensation. "Ah! Why does my hand feel like it's on fire?" She looked down and saw the Triforce of Wisdom resonating. "So… my Triforce brought me here? But where exactly is here?"

" _This is a realm beyond time and space, awakened by the true power of the Triforce of Wisdom."_ A mysterious female voice spoke. _"I was the first to awaken this power."_

"What power?" Shaylene questioned, as she paced around the void.

" _The Triforce of Wisdom allowed me not only to see across dimensions in time, but to lock myself and others within a single moment… Allow me to show you…"_

* * *

A bright light blinded Shaylene, and she soon found herself floating in the sky above a familiar landscape.

Below her, a young woman with golden hair and sapphire eyes stood before a large castle, dressed in a white gown. The city around the castle was in flames. A dark aura surrounded the castle, and a boar-like monster with a spiritual body composed of a dark, crimson gaseous substance circled the castle. The young woman approached the castle's sanctum, situated on the highest floor of the castle.

"Link…" She said, raising her hand. Her voice matched that of the woman speaking in the void. "You are our final hope… The fate of Hyrule rests with you." The boar creature flew toward her, its mouth open as if it was ready to swallow her. She held up her hand, aglow the Triforce and a bright light illuminated the area.

* * *

The vision faded and Shaylene found herself in the void again.

"What… was that?" Shaylene questioned.

" _That was the moment I unlocked the full power of our bloodline. The moment I used the Triforce to seal myself and Calamity Ganon in a moment beyond time, until the day the hero could reawaken to defeat the great evil."_

"And, I have these powers as well?" Shaylene asked.

" _They lie dormant within you, but I can help you awaken them."_

"What will awakening these powers do for me?"

" _The Triforce could sense what was going on in your mind when you touched it. You want to undo the things that have brought you to this point, but you fear the changes your wish might make. You feel like the King may be better off without Hyrule and you, but you don't want to lose him."_

"How do you know all this?"

" _Because, the Triforce of Wisdom binds you to its previous bearers. We are all tied by the blood of Hylia."_

"How can the Triforce help me?"

" _As I have told you, the Triforce of Wisdom allows us to see across the multiverse… Across time and space. With it, we can see the paths your life may take from this point. And from there, you can choose the path you want to take."_

"Show me!" The Triforce of Wisdom began to resonate brightly.

" _Patience, young one… There are things you must see first…"_

* * *

Shaylene soon found herself floating above a backyard somewhere in a quiet city. Below her, swimming in an inground pool, were younger versions of CJ, Jennette and herself.

"Wanna race to the deep end?" Chirped 8-year-old Shaylene.

"Are you sure you're okay to swim that far?" Questioned 17-year-old CJ.

"Yeah! I can make it!" The two began to swim toward the deep end. As they got into the deeper waters, Shaylene began to grow tired and started slipping under the water. She started frantically splashing. "Help!" CJ quickly stopped and swam toward her, holding her above the surface of the water as he pulled her back to the stairs in the shallow end.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Shaylene coughed a couple of times.

"Yeah."

 _I miss those days… We were so carefree… And CJ was nice. Before the days that his darkness corrupted him…_ The Triforce began to resonate brightly once again and she found herself floating above a schoolyard. Sitting on the front steps of the school were 13-year-old Shaylene and 22-year-old CJ.

"So a couple of football players were teasing you because you aced the MCAS?" CJ asked. "I would've loved to have done that good when I was your age. I mean, I did pretty good, but it would've been awesome to get near perfect scores."

"It was Brad and his friends." Shaylene said.

"Dunham? The punk kid that trashed your lemonade stand last summer?" CJ asked. Shaylene nodded.

"Hey Smartypants!" A new voice called out.

"Speak of the devil…" Shaylene mumbled.

"Look at this!" Brad said. "Smartypants actually has friends. Or is he your tutor? Smartypants isn't such a smartypants, huh?" CJ stood up, towering over Brad by a little over a foot. He grabbed Brad by the collar of his shirt and shoved him onto the mulch-covered ground of the nearby playground with enough force to slightly knock the wind out of him.

"Listen to me, you low-life jock." CJ said with a furious tone. "If I find out again that you've been picking on Shaylene, in ANY way… I don't care how much older than you I am. I won't hesitate to break your arm and make sure you don't play football in your freshman year of high school. Got that, punk?"

"Y-yes…" Brad said. He quickly stood up and brushed himself off, back up in the process.

"Good. Make sure your friends get the message too." CJ said, before Brad ran off.

 _Zelda, why is the Triforce showing me all this?_

" _To help you, young one."_ Zelda responded. The world faded to the white void once again and a new scene began to materialize. Shaylene now found herself in a locker room.

 _Please tell me this isn't what I think it is…_ As if responding to her thoughts, the locker room door swung open and a 16-year-old Shaylene was thrown forcefully to the floor as a 16 or 17-year-old boy with jet black hair, wearing a black t-shirt and brown gym shorts, walked in. In his hand was a pink backpack with a torn shoulder strap. He threw the backpack to the ground and walked over to 16-year-old Shaylene, as adult Shaylene watched her memories play out in front of her.

"Please… Leave me alone…" Shaylene whimpered, trying to sit up. The boy grabbed her shoulders and pushed her to the ground, climbing onto her waist and pinning her down.

 _Stop! Please don't make me re-live this!_ The world shattered around Shaylene and she found herself in the white void again.

" _Are you okay?"_ Zelda questioned.

 _Why? Why would the Triforce make me re-live that? What is that supposed to accomplish?_ The world began to re-form itself, as Shaylene saw her younger self now sitting on a rock on the shores of a lake.

"Shaylene? Shay!" CJ's voice echoed.

"CJ?" Younger Shaylene questioned, her voice quaking. CJ soon emerged from a trail leading into the woods around the lake.

"Shay!" CJ exclaimed. "Thank God, you're okay!" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.

"Relatively speaking, I guess." Shaylene said, her voice trembling.

"What's wrong?" CJ asked, breaking the hug. Shaylene took a deep breath and unzipped her pink jacket, her hands trembling as she exposed only her bra underneath. She looked down and CJ followed suit, noticing a large tear in her jeans. Shaylene's lip quivered. CJ quickly took off his white camo jacket, followed by his blue sweatshirt. "Here, put this on." Shaylene grabbed the sweatshirt, hands still shaking as she swapped it for her pink jacket. No sooner than she finished, CJ pulled her back into a tight embrace. "I'm here. It's gonna be okay. Tell me what happened."

Shaylene's voice trembled as she began to speak. "I got to school this morning, and I went down to the gym to get a drink out of the vending machine. As I was walking past the girls' locker room, this kid Derek grabbed me by the backpack and tried to pull me through the doorway. I tried to get away, and my backpack got torn in the process. He grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth. I tried to bite him but it didn't bother him. He threw me into the locker room and pinned me down as he ripped off my shirt. He…" Tears were beginning to well up in Shaylene's eyes. CJ stopped her.

"Don't." He said, trying to mask the quaking in his own voice. "You don't have to say anything else. It's over. I'm not gonna let anything else happen to you. Come on, let's get you home. Your family's worried sick about you."

 _That was after our powers… Maybe… Maybe there's a way we can both have what we want…_ The scene at the lake vanished and Shaylene soon found herself in an old abandoned building. Suddenly, a bright flash lit the room, and CJ appeared.

"The old Woolworth building." CJ said to himself. "Good, it worked. Now, let's hope I'm in the right time." As if to answer his curiosity, another flash of light filled the room and Captain N appeared. The room was now aglow with the purple light of an odd orb-like machine.

"Hello… Me." CJ said. Captain N turned.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise." Captain N said. "This is far earlier than I planned to meet face-to-face."

"Believe me, I know." CJ said. "I'm one step ahead of you." CJ lunged forward, digging his fingers into Captain N's face, as his hand began to glow with dark energy.

"You can't escape it boy." Captain N said, striking CJ and knocking him into a wall. "My existence is written in stone. You can't stop me." Before CJ could react, Captain N pressed a button on the machine and it began to glow brightly. The device exploded, unleashing a powerful wave of energy and creating a small vortex. CJ watched as Captain N was torn apart and pulled through the vortex. Almost as quickly as it had happened, it was over.

 _That must be the second activation of the N-Sphere…_ Shaylene thought, as the world faded to the white void again. A new image began to materialize around her, and she found herself on a tall cliff overlooking a graveyard. Behind her was a small village filled with brick buildings built into the cliffsides of the looming volcano and surrounding foothills. Below her, in the graveyard, she saw her 16-year-old self, 22-year-old Jennette and 26-year-old CJ. Shaylene and Jennette were kneeling near three freshly dug graves. CJ stood behind him, a hand on each girl's shoulder.

"What do we do now?" Shaylene asked between tears, her voice quivering.

"How do you do it, CJ?" Jennette questioned, wiping her eyes.

"It's not easy." CJ said. "I just have to take things one day at a time. But having friends and family to support me is a big help."

"Are we part of those friends and family?" Shaylene asked, wiping her eyes, as she and Jennette stood up.

"Duh." CJ said, placing an arm around each girl's shoulder. "I love you girls. You're family to me. And you two are more than welcome to come live at the castle with me and Stacey."

 _This didn't happen…_

" _I told you. The Triforce of Wisdom grants you visions across time and space."_ Suddenly, the world changed again and Shaylene found herself standing on a small chunk of land, seemingly floating in the sky. All she could see was blue sky and clouds, with the exception of another small chunk of land. Built on this piece of land was what appeared to be a beautiful castle courtyard, with glistening white marble pillars and a white brick walkway, surrounded by lush green grass. At the end of the walkway was an empty pedestal. Standing near the pedestal was 26-year-old CJ. Suddenly, in a flash of light, 17-year-old Shaylene and 22-year-old Stacey appeared at the end of the walkway.

"There!" Shaylene exclaimed. CJ turned and saw the girls.

"Stacey… Shay…" He said, tears in his eyes.

"CJ, what are you doing?" Stacey asked.

"Fixing what I've done." CJ said. His hand began to glow. Stacey and Shaylene looked at their hands as the glow of the Triforce began to fade.

"CJ, Jennette's gone to Lorule!" Shaylene exclaimed.

"Shay… You… you came to warn me?" CJ asked. "Even after what I've done? You're not mad at me?"

"Of course I am." Shaylene said. "But what's done is done. And what Jennette wants to do is no better than what you did… Besides, I know you're sorry. I know you wish you hadn't done it. And I trust you enough to know that you weren't yourself when you did it. I know the curse you suffer from… what's done can't be fixed."

"No." CJ said. "It _can_ be fixed. And it will be." A golden portal then opened before him.

"CJ!" Shaylene rushed forward as CJ stepped through the portal and it closed. "Shit!"

"What is he going to do?" Stacey asked.

"Whatever it is, he needed to take the Triforce from us." Shaylene said, holding up her bare hand.

"Oh no… What is he plotting?"

 _This is CJ's wish on the Triforce. The one that stripped him of his powers and reversed the Crystal Wii remote. The one that changed our reality…_

Once again, the world around Shaylene shattered, and she found herself in a mysterious void where she saw CJ kneeling, the Triforce glowing brightly on his hand.

"Young CJ… What brings thee to our chamber?" A new voice echoed. Shaylene watched as the three golden goddesses descended from the sky above CJ.

"Oh great goddesses… I come before you to atone for my sins…" CJ said. "To atone for what I've done wrong… To fix the mistakes I've made… And repair the lives I've destroyed."

CJ raised his hand and the Triforce appeared before him in physical form. He closed his eyes, reached out, touched the Triforce and shed a tear.

"Fix the curtain of darkness I've laid on my kingdom, on my life and one the lives of my friends… Allow me to atone for my greed… My kingdom has come. Now I let it go. Reverse the wish granted to me by the Crystal Wii remote. Return me and my friends to the lives we held before Hyrule. And most importantly… give Shaylene back her family, her old life. Release her from the burden laid upon her by my cursed heart. And let the memories of this life be lost from the minds of my friends… But let them remain with me."

The Triforce began to give off a mighty glow, and the room filled with a bright light, before everything vanished and Shaylene found herself in the void again.

 _The most important thing he wished for was for me to have my family back…_ A new world began to form around her again and she soon found herself outside a large warehouse surrounded by woods. _Now where am I?_ As if to answer her, a ball of light erupted nearby and Shaylene witnessed a strange portal appear. Through the portal, she saw a city in flames, and armed troops storming the streets. A man jumped through the portal and the portal vanished. The man stood up and Shaylene gasped at the sight of him. _Captain N… Can… Can he see me?_

" _No."_ Zelda said.

Captain N reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture.

"Shaylene… I'll fix this… I promise." He mumbled.

 _I almost forgot… CJ came back in time because of me._

"Who's there? Shaylene?" Captain N questioned.

 _Zelda, are you sure he can't see me?_

" _He shouldn't be able to."_

Captain N turned around, facing the exact direction where Shaylene was standing.

"I knew it." He said. "How… How are you here?"

 _You can see me?_

"I suspect my ability to travel through time allows me to see you." Captain N said. "I imagine something has brought you here for the same reason I am here. Much like I have run away from a life without you, I presume you have run here from a life without me."

 _Not exactly._ Shaylene said. _You're still very much alive. But the darkness in you has grown too strong._ Captain N's eyes widened for a moment, as visions flooded his mind.

"Yes… I see it now." He said. "A trail of blood leading to a near-execution of the United States President. You were about to wish away the Eridian influence on the world when the Triforce brought you to this realm beyond time and space."

 _So… where are we now? Or should I ask, when are we?_

"1987. Not far from Pensacola, Florida." Captain N said. "This is the headquarters of the Jump Men, the day I assumed control and accelerated development of the N-Sphere."

 _Pensacola?_ Shaylene questioned. _That's where you were born…_

"It's no coincidence that the Jump Men were headquartered here." Captain N said. "This is a decommissioned Air Force munitions storage. I'm not the first generation of my family to work on the N-Sphere."

 _Who?_

"Mom. She led the Jump Men when the N-Sphere's development began. The organization was originally formed in the 13th Century by a group of Neohumans whose powers awakened after contact with Eridium in South America."

 _Neohumans?_

"People like us. Eridian descendants." Captain N said. "Over the centuries, they studied their powers and learned of their ancient alien ancestors. They began to hunt for Eridium and experimenting on humans, hoping to awaken powers in as many people as they could. Somewhere in the 1980s, Mom assumed control of the organization. She began development of the N-Sphere with the aim of awakening Neohumans across the globe. Dad didn't agree, and that's what ultimately led to their divorce. He wanted me to grow up without powers, and fought for custody."

 _If you knew all this, why did you come back in time to give yourself powers?_

"Why are you asking? You know why. I selfishly sought to keep my powers, and keep the existence of our favorite video games. And so, I assumed control of the Jump Men and accelerated the N-Sphere's development, using Eridium that I brought back from my future. By 2012, it was capable of unleashing Eridium energy across a large city, possibly a small county. Meanwhile, I worked to track down my younger self. I planted the N-Sphere in the Woolworth Building, and sent the Wrecking Crew Construction Company to demolish it. As a branch of the Smash Brothers, they were under my employ. They didn't know of the N-Sphere, though. They were told that we were planning to build a new lab there where we would conduct Eridium testing…" The world around Shaylene vanished, but Captain N remained. The Triforce glowed brightly as the two found themselves inside the Woolworth Building. They heard wood cracking and breaking and watched as a group of men broke through the wood barricading the entrance and walked in.

 _Are those guys the Wrecking Crew?_

" _Yes."_ Captain N responded. _"Don't worry. They can't see or hear us."_

"All right guys." One of the workers said. "Let's get the charges set and clear out."

"Yes sir!" The workers began to walk around the building, placing explosives on various structural beams throughout the building.

"Hey what's this?" One of the guys questioned. "It looks like... some kind of machine."

"What?" The boss asked. "The crew said this place was cleared out last week. Shouldn't be any machinery in here."

"This ain't no machinery I've evah seen." Another worker said, with a Boston accent. One of the workers picked up the mysterious device. It was a small spherical device that had a single power switch and several tubes filled with a neon red liquid attached to it.

"Steve, don't touch that." Another worker said. But it was too late. The worker flipped the switch. The device began to glow and vibrate before letting out an audible beeping sound.

"Shit! It's a bomb!" The boss shouted. "Run!"

Shaylene and Captain N watched as an explosion rocked the building and a bright light blinded them. When their vision returned, they were floating above the rubble of the building. For a quarter-mile, all they could see was rubble.

 _This is the first activation of the N-Sphere. I never realized how vast the devastation was…_

" _You knew?"_

 _CJ told me. He sat me down and told me of life after the Crystal Wii Remote, before his wish on the Triforce. I suspect that his dream during his coma may have been more than just a dream. But being told about this stuff and re-living it are two completely different things. This is all overwhelming. Though one thing is weird…_

" _What?"_

CJ said you told him that you created the N-Sphere, said we had what you called the Miyamoto Gene, and that certain radiation would trigger the gene. But he said he saw you travel to a time where the N-Sphere had already been created.

" _I hid the truth from him. Of the Eridians, the Neohumans, and the centuries of experiments. I resented Mom for her work with the Jump Men, and I wanted to spare my younger self that resentment."_

 _Zelda… I want to see the future. Show me the potential paths of my life._

" _Very well."_ Zelda said.


	4. Finale: Visions of the Triforce

**Finale: Visions of the Triforce**

Once again, the Triforce began to shine brightly, and the ruins and rubble of the city vanished as Shaylene found herself in the void once again. Now, only Zelda stood by her side. The world around them began to form once again, and Shaylene found herself floating above a large bridge spanning Lake Hylia.

 _The Great Bridge of Hylia._ Shaylene looked down and saw a large group of people, gathered on the bridge. Most of them lined a path leading to a large red mat. On the red mat stood a younger CJ and Shaylene, a familiar Mushroom Person with a white mustache and brown-spotted cap, as well as two women: one with shoulder length blue hair and one with slightly shorter blonde hair. Both wore simple red t-shirts and blue sweatpants. _This is the finish line of The Amazing Race. This already happened…_

"Six countries… Fifteen cities… Over twenty thousand miles… Even interplanetary travel… And it all came down to this." Toadsworth, said. "Athena and Janey… You are the first team to cross the finish line, and with that you have won one million coins… and The Amazing Race!" Something caught Shaylene's attention and she looked to the other side of the bridge, where she saw CJ floating there.

 _Wait… How is CJ on top of the bridge and down at the finish line?_

" _You wanted to see the various outcomes of your life."_ Zelda said. The Triforce separated from its bearers standing on the bridge and appeared in physical form atop the bridge. Time froze and the world was drained of color, with the exception of the two time travelers. Even Zelda had vanished.

" _Gods of Hyrule! Give all those standing here a life free of Nicholas Frost! A life free of the Atlas Defense Agency! A life free of the turmoil brought upon Catalysts by those who don't understand us!"_ CJ's voice echoed. _"Separate Hyrule, Pandora and the rest of the Catalyst worlds from Earth! Allow the Sages to continue their lives in Hyrule. And..."_ Shaylene gasped as CJ seemed to look directly at her. _"…give Shaylene and me a second chance…"_ The Triforce began to glow, before shooting into the sky. A beam of light pierced the clouds, striking the center of the bridge. It quickly expanded, engulfing the Great Bridge of Hylia, the two time travelers, and eventually Earth itself. Shaylene once again found herself floating in the void.

 _That must be what happens if I let CJ wish on the Triforce._

" _That is what happens if he wishes to return to the end of the race and separate the worlds…"_ Zelda said, as a new vision began to form. Shaylene found herself floating above Hyrule Castle's courtyard. Below her, she saw all the Sages, as well as large crowd, surrounding CJ and a familiar young man. The young man wore a blue jacket, jeans and a black t-shirt. He had spiked black hair with red tips, and spiked blonde bangs. On both his and CJ's arm was a strange round device with a small platform attached to it.

 _No way… is that Yugi Moto? Are you telling me CJ's wish brings Yu-Gi-Oh to life as well? Ok, that's cool!_

CJ faced Yugi and smiled.

"I'm looking forward to this duel, Yugi." CJ said.

"Me too." Yugi said. "I look forward to facing off against Ganondorf."

"No dark magic, no fighting for the fate of the world… And no Atem bending fate to his whim." CJ smirked. "This will be a fun test of our skills."

"That it will." Yugi said. Shaylene anxiously watched, waiting for the excitement to start, only to be disappointed as the world faded around her.

 _Aw man… I really wanted to see how the duel was going to play out…_

" _There is more to see first."_

The world began to rematerialize again. Shaylene was once again in Hyrule Castle, but now she found herself in a small courtyard. It was adorned with various flowers, had a small stream encircling it, and a small stone bench in the middle. Sitting on the ground near some flowers was a young girl. She had bright blonde hair and wore a lavender dress, gold tiara and small diamond earrings.

 _Aw she's so cute! And so familiar…_ Another figure then emerged from a large doorway in the castle. It was a boy of about 15, wearing midnight blue pants and a black muscle shirt. Hanging around his neck was a small scarf or mask, and he had cloth strips wrapping around his wrists and forearms. On his shirt was a symbol consisting of a single eye shedding a tear. Above the eye were three small triangles, each pointing in a different direction. As he stepped into the courtyard, his lightning blue eyes seemed to glisten in the sunlight.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness." The boy said, as he sat in the grass next to the little girl.

"Hi, CJ." The girl said.

 _Is that… me?_

" _That is Princess Shaylene Hyrule. So, yes. And with you is your best friend, CJ of the Sheikah."_

Princess Shaylene pointed to a small flower. It had five petals, which were blue in the center and white around the edges, and were arranged in a star-like pattern. "What's this flower?"

"That's called a Silent Princess." CJ said, leaning in and looking at the flower. "Legends say that it was a favorite flower of one of Hyrule's princesses long ago. During the reign of King Rhoam, it was a rare endangered species. But over the ages, it began to prosper and the royal family found a way to get it to grow domestically."

 _That's such a beautiful flower…_

" _It's nice to see that they're prospering again."_ Zelda said, as the world vanished.

 _Are both of these visions a result of CJ separating our worlds?_

" _These are possible results of the worlds separating."_ The world began to reform, and Shaylene found herself floating above the Capitol, witnessing herself assemble the Triforce.

"Shay… Please don't do this." CJ pleaded.

"There's no other choice." Shaylene said, a tear running down her cheek. "Maybe without me in your life and without these powers, things will turn out for the better. Maybe _you'll_ turn out for the better." Shaylene placed her hand on the Triforce. "Gods of Hyrule, hear my cry! Undo this curse placed upon Earth by the Ancient Eridians! Bring peace to the worlds of Catalysts and humans alike! Separate Earth, Pandora and Hyrule once again, and wipe these events from the memories of those who experienced them! Return Earth to the world it would have been had the effects of Eridium never awakened! And undo the past so that our worlds may never cross again!"

"Shay! No!" CJ called out, struggling to escape as the light of the Triforce engulfed everything.

 _So now we'll see the result of my wish._

" _Results."_ Zelda said. _"Remember, every wish has many outcomes."_

 _Many? What if I want to see them all?_

" _The possibilities are endless. The Triforce can only show you a few. You must make a choice on that."_ Shaylene now found herself in a familiar-looking kitchen.

 _This is home… Our old home. Next door to CJ when he had the pool._ The kitchen door to the driveway opened and 16-year-old Shaylene walked in. With her was a girl about a year or two younger. She had wavy blonde hair, maroon-rimmed glasses and ocean blue eyes. She wore a light blue sundress, unzipped white sweater and had a pink floral backpack slung over her shoulder. The girls dropped their backpacks onto the nearby pile of shoes and walked into the kitchen. Shaylene's mom Brenda walked into the kitchen and greeted the girls.

"Hi sweetie." Brenda said. "How was school?"

"It was good. Glad the year is over." Shaylene smiled.

Brenda looked at the other girl. "Hello Emily. How are you today?"

"I'm doing well, Mrs. Johnson." Emily said. "A little jealous that Shay's getting ready for senior year. How are you?"

"I'm well. Thank you." Brenda said. "And your family?"

"Great." Emily said. "Mom just got a new job. Dad's been helping the neighbor install his new kitchen floor. Andrew and his girlfriend are off traveling around Europe. I'm super jealous."

"Hey, once we're both done high school, we're doing that." Shaylene said. "Count on it."

"Really?" Emily asked.

"Well… maybe after college." Shaylene chucked. "I guess we kinda need money."

"Speaking of college, have you given it any thought, Emily?" Brenda asked. "You're going to be a sophomore. I'm sure you know that Shaylene is going to pursue."

"I'm thinking something science related, but I'm not sure exactly what yet." Emily said.

"Mom, is it okay if I go for a walk with Em?" Shaylene asked.

"Of course. But don't stay out for too long." Brenda said. "You have chores to do."

"I won't, Mom. I promise." Shaylene said. The girls walked outside as the time traveling Sage of Light phased through the wall, following them. "So, your dad's helping that veteran guy next door put in a new kitchen floor?"

"Yeah." Emily said. "He and Dad really hit it off when we first moved in."

 _Cool veteran guy? Are we talking about Ralph? And why am I acting like I don't know him. CJ, Emmy and I were all great friends._

"I still can't believe he lost his son." Shaylene said.

 _He what? Zelda, what's going on?_

" _Your wish. You said that CJ would be better off without you."_

 _I said maybe he'd be better off without me and without powers. Not better off dead. Zelda, I don't want to see any more of this outcome._ The world faded away again and began to reform. As it did, Shaylene saw 27-year-old CJ walk into a college classroom and sit at one of the empty desks. He slung his backpack to the floor and pulled out his laptop. He glanced up at the whiteboard at the front of the room. Scribbled on the board was a teacher's name and the phrase "Environmental Science Seminar". _Good. A reality where he's not dead._

A few moments later, a young woman, about the age of 18, walked in and sat next to him. He glanced up for a moment, seeing only the back of her floral-patterned light blue sundress. Her straight blonde hair cascaded halfway down her back and the faint of something pleasant tickled his nostrils, intoxicating his senses. She fished through her bag before tossing her notebook on her desk.

 _Zelda, is that who I think it is?_

"Crap…" The girl mumbled. She sat up and turned toward CJ. He immediately noticed her dazzling forest green eyes and she noticed the wrinkles in the bridge of his nose. "Oh my God!"

"What?" CJ asked.

"I'm so sorry! Is… Is my perfume too strong?" She asked. CJ realized he was still processing the aroma. His face turned bright red when he realized what it was.

"Oh! No, no, not at all." He said. "I- I was admiring it. What is it?"

"It's called… What is it called? Oh man, I can't remember the name right now…" She paused. "And you probably meant what scent is it…" CJ chuckled.

"Kind of." He said.

"L-lavender. You were… admiring it?"

"Yeah. It smells nice." CJ's face was still a bit red, but less so than before. "I-I'm CJ, by the way."

 _Hold on… We don't know each other?_

The girl held out her hand. "Shaylene." She said, as CJ shook her hand. "I'm glad the perfume isn't too strong. It's my first day. I'm kind of intimidated, and I wanted to make a good impression, and I didn't want to smell, and I was super nervous, and I thought I'd sweat a lot, and I went super heavy on the deodorant and perfume, and…" CJ chuckled a bit before stopping her rambling.

"It's my first day too." He said. "So, what major are you?"

"Atmospheric Science." Shaylene said. "I want to be a meteorologist. You?"

"Same, actually." CJ smiled. "So, what were you fishing through your bag for?"

"Oh! I completely forgot why I turned to you." Shaylene said. "Do you have a spare pen or pencil? I guess I forgot to put some in my bag…"

CJ reached into his bag and pulled out a pen. "Yup. I take notes on my laptop."

"I thought it was you first day." Shaylene said.

"First day here. I wasted a few years at my local community college."

 _I guess this reality's not so bad. At least we still meet each other. I don't really want to lose him, but I don't like the type of person Hyrule has made him become._ Time seemed to skip ahead, as Shaylene saw CJ and her younger self walking out of class together, still talking.

"Favorite season?" Shaylene asked.

"Summer, no question. What about you?"

"Same. It's my birthday season."

"Oh that's cool. When's your birthday, if you're okay with me asking?"

"July 3rd."

"Favorite type of weather, if you have one?"

"Ugh, that's such a hard choice! You first."

"Thunderstorms. Especially the super nasty ones like they get in the middle of the country. I want to go tornado chasing at least once in my life."

"That'd be so cool! Thunderstorms are pretty awesome. I'd like to visit Lake Maracaibo."

"The place that gets lightning like two thirds of the year?" A noticeable tone of excitement was present in CJ's voice.

"Yup."

"I'm dying to go there. Maybe on my honeymoon."

"You're getting married? Congrats!"

"Oh, no, sorry… I was engaged, but things fell apart. I guess I'm still getting used to being single again."

 _Stacey… I wonder what happened to the two of them._

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. My girlfriend and I went our separate ways over the summer."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Though I'm glad you mentioned it."

"Really? Why's that?"

"I thought we were really hitting it off and I was gonna ask you out. I'm sorry, I just assumed you were straight." CJ said sheepishly.

"Don't be sorry. I don't let gender determine who I date." Shaylene said. "I'd like to go out some time. I need to get over Emily anyway. Though, maybe hanging out as friends would be a better place to start." The world vanished again and older Shaylene was floating in the void with Zelda once more.

 _I guess that wasn't bad. I'd like to know how things are going to work out for us in the long run, though._

" _The Triforce is only guiding you by showing you glimpses of possibilities. Remember, nothing here is certain."_

 _Zelda, take me back to the Capitol. Take me back to my husband._ Shaylene requested, tears beginning to fill her eyes. She now found herself standing in a realm beyond time, witnessing the events on the Capitol grounds that led her to reach for the Triforce.

"You have no idea where this life will take you." Captain N said. "No idea which of you will meet each other again. You can't even be sure that you'll all live up to this point in your new powerless life. Are you willing to risk the intertwining webs of your lives on the mere chance that eight people you may never cross paths with again will live?"

"He's right…" CJ said, as the sun's ray began to brighten. "I… I can't chance it. I can't risk losing all of our friendships, all of our memories… just to prevent something that might still happen. There has to be another way."

"I'm willing to risk it." Shaylene said, as she broke free of the dark restraints holding her and used bindings of light to restrain the other Sages. She looked at CJ. "I can't stand the person you've become. Your heart has been blackened. You've committed so many horrible acts. Not only is there a path of bodies in this past, but your others as well. Transcending the wishes you've made on the Triforce and the things you've done. In another life, another reality, you…" Her eyes began to water. "…You orphaned me." Everyone gasped.

"He _what_?" Jennette snapped.

"He killed Mom and Dad… And Steven." Shaylene said. She looked at CJ. "And even though you wished us out of Hyrule with the Triforce, even though you wished our lives back to normal… You still did it."

"I thought you forgave me for that…"

"I did. Because you surrendered everything you wanted to give me a better life. You surrendered magic, Hyrule… You wished for a powerless life on Earth. A life where I had my parents and brother back. But it didn't stay that way. Some sick twist of fate brought those powers back to us. It brought Hyrule back to us. And it brought those memories back to me. But worst of all, it brought that version of you back. You may have written yourself as a good guy in your stories. But these powers changed all that. When they became reality, so did Demise's curse."

"Don't say that."

" _You_ are the current incarnation of Demise's hatred and malice. You are the current Ganon. You're… evil."

"Shay… Please don't do this." CJ pleaded. Time froze, with only CJ and Captain N free from its effects.

"I didn't do this." Captain N said.

"Me neither." CJ said, as Shaylene gave off a faint glow before becoming freed. Zelda then appeared next to her.

"I did." Shaylene said. "I'm so sorry… I almost threw everything away."

"Not even thirty seconds ago, you were talking about wishing away the Eridians. What's going on?" CJ asked, as he was freed from his restraints.

"This isn't the first time I almost used the Triforce to wish away the Eridians." Shaylene said. "This is the second. When I went to wish before, the Triforce pulled me to a realm beyond time. Zelda told me that the Triforce of Wisdom allows its bearer to see across dimensions in time. She told me that the Triforce sensed my fear. Fear of losing you, despite feeling that you were better off without me."

"You said I'd be better off without you. You called me the modern incarnation of Demise. You… you said I was evil, Shay."

"I know." Shaylene said. "But the Triforce showed me things and made me think about things. I saw us swimming together as kids, when you saved me from drowning in the pool. I saw you defend me when Brad was picking on me for my test scores. I saw…" She hesitated. "I saw a glimpse of the locker room… when Derek tried to…" CJ rushed forward and quickly pulled her into an embrace.

"I'm sorry."

"That's not all." Shaylene said, as she pulled back a bit, still embracing her husband, but also looking into his eyes. "I saw you try to stop Captain N from activating the N-Sphere. I saw our lives in Hyrule after the Crystal Wii remote. I saw the day Captain N arrived in the past and accelerated the development of the N-Sphere. I learned things about our Eridian ancestry that neither of us knew. I saw the wish you made on the Triforce after Jennette went to Lorule. The wish that undid everything done by the Crystal Wii remote. I saw a life where you were dead and we never met… I saw a life where you wished on the Triforce to separate Earth from Hyrule and the Catalyst worlds following the Amazing Race. I saw a life where we met in college. I saw a world where we were born in Hyrule. I was the princess, and you were my Sheikah protector. But one thing rang true throughout all of it."

"What?" CJ asked.

"You've made mistakes. And you've hurt me." Shaylene said.

"I'm sorry…" CJ's eyes began to water, as the two broke their embrace and he stepped back.

"But… the wish following the Crystal Wii remote. The wish after the Amazing Race. Traveling back in time and giving us powers… It was always motivated by me. Every time something bad happened to me, you would use whatever magic you could to fix it, not worrying about what it did to your life." Shaylene said. "After Jennette went to Lorule, you told the goddesses that the most important thing was 'releasing me from the burden laid upon me by your cursed heart'. Atop the Great Bridge of Hylia after the Amazing Race, when you traveled back from this moment. You begged for a second chance for us. When you traveled back in time as Captain N, you only wanted to protect me from the fate that awaited me in your cursed future. When you tried to stop Captain N from activating the N-Sphere, you did it because he created a reality where Stacey wanted me dead. Back in New York-" CJ interrupted her.

"I killed President Frost's son-in-law. And I was wrong. I lost my cool. Seeing you and Stacey, locked up like that-" Shaylene stopped him.

"You were willing to go down for what you had done right there. And we stopped you." She said.

* * *

" _I attacked first." CJ said. "I killed seven federal agents in cold blood. It's time I get what's coming to me. Besides, at this point, my sins are just piling on top of me. There's so much before this that should've brought me down. I am exactly what Hale is painting us as. A monster. A terrorist."_

 _"Don't say that!" Aubrey said. "No you're not!"_

 _"What about Pandora?" CJ asked. "What about Jack? I nearly let him destroy an entire planet. I nearly let him kill Shaylene… Jennette was right. You were all right. I am letting the darkness blind me." Shaylene slapped CJ, leaving a bright red mark on his left cheek._

" _Shut up!" She snapped. "You're wrong! You're not a monster! You're sweet, kind, caring, protective… You're my best friend. And I'm not letting this take you down."_

"But…"

 _"But nothing." Stacey said. "As much as I hate to say it, Shaylene's right." She hesitated on that last word. "You can't give up. We'll fight this. Until the bitter end."_

 _"Yeah." Aubrey said. "Even if it means we all go down with you."_

 _CJ couldn't help but smile. "Really?" He asked._

" _Damn straight." Shaylene said. "I'll follow you to the ends of the earth."_

* * *

"I swore I'd get you out of whatever kind of trouble came your way following Aubrey's break out. I promised to be there for you because you've sacrificed the life you want more than once just so my life could be better." Shaylene said. She held up her hand and CJ looked at the ring on her finger. "I took a vow to stay by your side, for better or worse. Whatever comes our way, wherever the Triforce takes our lives, I'm with you." CJ stepped forward and placed his hand on the Triforce.


End file.
